Through Early Morning Fog
by Halawen
Summary: Owen witnesses Clare in peril and decides to do something. He saves her life but in doing so is injured and loses the ability to speak. Now he must find a way to communicate, a reason to keep going and cope with being hero. Clare has to deal with the aftermath of the trauma, guilt for what happened to Owen and being a victim of violence. Together they find a way to get through.
1. The World Caught Fire that Day

**Welcome to my new short story.**

 **Legal: I own nothing but the idea.**

 **The very important stuff to know before reading:**

 ***This starts after Ray of Light only Cam is alive and still with Maya. EClare did break up but only because Eli began using drugs and his behavior became erratic.**

 ***Jake and Katie are still together.**

 ***Also Dave and Alli never broke up.**

 **That pretty much does it enjoy everyone.**

 **Ch. 1 The World Caught Fire That Day**

 **(OWEN)**

"Ugh why do we have to have practices so bloody early?" I groan when I come out of my house into a thick blanket of fog.

It's not even 5:30 on this Thursday morning but I have to get to Ice Hounds practice. Considering how little I get to play I think I should be excused from these early practices. Even early football practices didn't start until 6:30 at the earliest. I toss my backpack into my SUV and get in turning on loud music to help wake me up and I start driving to the arena.

A few houses down from mine Clare catches my eye. She's lived just down the street for as long as I can remember but we didn't run in the same circles and I never really cared, until today. It's not that Clare is awake and getting into her car this early that catches my attention however. No the reason, the sole reason I even notice Clare through the fog is that just as Clare gets into the driver's seat a man holding a knife jumps in the backseat. I see them as I pass, the crazy emptiness in his eyes that tells me he will kill her. I see the fear in Clare's eyes, the tear that rolls down her cheek and the urge to scream but the man has the knife at her throat.

He must tell her to drive because she starts driving and I turn around rapidly to follow them. Crazy dude has the knife right at Clare's throat and she's terrified, crying so hard I'm not sure that she can even see through the tears. I start to speed up but realize if I bump Clare's car and spook him he could very easily cut her throat. I watch them but keep a bit of a distance as I call 911. I tell them Clare was carjacked or is possibly being kidnapped, I give them Clare's license plate and the street we're driving on. I know the cops are on their way but Clare's getting hysterical and the guy keeps moving the knife near her neck and I'm afraid he's going to kill her. Then Clare notices me following them I see her eyes look up into her rearview mirror, I don't even know if she recognizes me but her eyes beg me to help her and I have to do something before the cops get here because crazy dude might kill her first.

I speed up until I'm just behind them and honk really loud, it distracts the crazy guy for a moment and he pulls the knife away from her neck. Knowing this is my one opportunity I speed up more and turn my car a little so that I can pull a sort of PIT maneuver, might not be police professional but it works. Clare's car spins out and comes to a stop, mine does the same and I leap out running over. I open the back door and pull the guy out, he's still got the knife and he lunges at me but I punch him in the stomach. He doubles over but while he's doubled over he gets his foot behind me sending us both to the ground.

I land hard on my back knocking the air out of me and while I struggle to breathe I hear sirens in the distance. Hearing Clare scream I look up and see the attacker holding the knife which now has blood on it. I really don't know if it's my blood or his because I can't feel anything right now. He raises the knife again and the sirens get closer. He makes an angry growl, he's got blood on him and I grab his wrists but I'm still struggling to breathe. I hear the sirens so close now and he hears them too. He punches me and tries to run but I grab his leg and hold pulling him back down. He knows he's trapped, I can see it on his face he knows he's going to get caught and I see his hand move fast, the next thing I feel is a jab in my neck. I feel like it's hard to breathe and then I feel blood coming from my throat and Clare screaming louder than the wailing sirens of the police car.

"FREEZE DOWN ON THE GROUND!" I hear cops yelling and I let go of his leg.

"Owen?" Clare cries taking her scarf off and holding it to my throat. "You're going to be okay," she tells me but she's sobbing and pale and looks very worried.

"Owen look at me," Officer Turner says and I look over at him guess he was one of the first responders. "Stay with us okay, an ambulance is on it's way you're going to be okay just lie still and don't try to talk," Turner instructs.

"You'll be okay you have to be okay you saved me Owen," Clare cries still holding her scarf firmly to my throat and squeezing my hand tightly.

Around me I hear the guy being arrested, he's yelling some stuff that doesn't make any sense. I hear another siren approaching which I assume to be the ambulance. I look into Clare's eyes, I never noticed before how very iridescent blue her eyes are. I focus on her eyes, swollen with tears, a stream of blood running close to her left eye but I'm focused purely on her eyes. And they are the very last thing I see before the rest of the world goes quiet and black.

 **(CLARE)**

I see the blood covered blade stab into Owen's throat and then slice quickly over Owen's throat, blood begins pouring out and I scream so loud it takes every bit of oxygen in my body. I lean against my car just as several police cars screech to a halt. They all come out of the cars at once, their guns poised on my attacker and they yell for him to get down. When my attacker goes down on the ground and several officers run over to handcuff him I run to Owen. He's bleeding from the throat and I'm almost certain I'm going to watch him die in front of me. I take my pink and orange scarf from around my neck and hold it over his throat praying that I can stop the bleeding and Owen will not die. Officer Turner rushes over and tells Owen to lie still, he assures Owen he's going to be okay but Owen is pale and he looks scared. Owen looks around and then looks at me, his eyes locking onto mine and then his eyes close and my eyes fill with even more tears.

"Miss you need to move back," someone says pulling at my arms to get me away but I'm still holding my scarf over Owen's neck.

"No," I shake my head.

"Clare it's the EMTs they need to get Owen into the ambulance," Officer Turner says and I let him pull me back.

"He's going to be okay isn't he?" I cry against Officer Turner's police jacket. The EMTs are hurriedly looking at Owen and yelling a bunch of stuff. "He saved me he can't die," I beg Officer Turner, not that he has the power to determine if Owen lives or dies.

"Hey she's bleeding too you better take her," Turner calls to the EMTs.

A lady EMT takes me from Turner's arms and looks at me, "Hey we got one more."

The woman takes a gauze pack and quickly wraps my head before taking my arm and putting me in the ambulance. They sit me near the doors out of the way and put a blanket around me. I don't realize just how much I'm crying or shaking until the blanket is around me. Owen is still unconscious and the bandage around his neck is covered with blood, they're hooking him to an IV. I close my eyes, I feel a little dizzy and I don't want to look at Owen bleeding anymore because all I can think is that he wouldn't be bleeding if he hadn't saved me. The ambulance stops and an EMT tells me to stay while they get Owen out and run into the emergency doors with him.

The lady EMT tells me to stay again and then comes back with a wheelchair which she puts me in. She takes me in the emergency room but I can't see Owen. Everything around me is a blur, it's like I'm in this bubble and everything else around me is moving fast. I'm taken to an examination bay and put on a bed while a doctor looks at my head. Since I can't stop crying or shaking they hook me up to an IV and clean my head, bandage it and tell me to lie back with ice on my bump. I do everything they say but I still feel like I'm in this bubble and everything else is just surreal, dreamlike almost. How I wish this was a dream and Owen wasn't hurt.

"I called your mom and your family is on their way," Officer Turner tells me coming into the room.

"How's Owen?"

"He's in surgery I called his family too and they're also on their way."

"I want to see him," I insist.

"You can see him when he's out of surgery but the doctor will probably have to release you first. Dave wanted me to tell you hi from him and he hopes you're okay. I said he'd be able to see you later," Turner says and I nod.

"That guy the one who…" I pause for a breath because my lower lip trembles so hard I can barely talk.

"He's been arrested Clare, he's in jail now. I'll need a statement from you but I'll come to your house later today assuming you get released today anyway," Officer Turner comments just as a doctor comes in.

"She should be released in the next hour or so, she was in shock when they brought her in but her vitals are looking much better," the doctor tells Turner before turning to me. "You got a bump on the head but I don't think you have a concussion, still after you've had a bit of time to rest we will do a thorough exam. Have her parents been notified?" The doctor questions looking back at Turner.

"Yes I called them they should be here soon," Turner nods.

"Good can you sit with her in the meantime and just be sure she doesn't fall asleep?"

"Yeah no problem," Turner replies.

"The boy that was brought in with me, Owen Milligan, he'll be okay won't he?" I ask the doctor.

"I'll go and see if I can get an update on him for you," the doctor tells me before leaving through the curtain.

While the doctor is gone Officer Turner makes small talk about Dave and then the doctor comes back to say that Owen is in surgery still. Just after he leaves my mom throws back the curtain and storms in with Glen and Jake right behind her.

"Oh baby thank heavens you're okay! I can't believe you were carjacked how did that even happen don't you lock the car doors when you start driving?" Mom says as her voice goes from worried to scolding. At the word carjacked I see it all again, a man with crazy eyes in the rearview mirror, he's in the backseat of my car and holding a knife to my throat. It's so clear it's as if I'm there again, like it's all happening again and I burst into tears.

While my mom seems to be arguing with Turner Jake sits on the bed to hug me so I cry on his chest. Even Glen sits on the foot of the bed, sort of awkwardly patting my leg but at least it's somewhat comforting.

"Honey this isn't helping Clare needs us right now," Glen admonishes and my mom shuts up.

"Well I'm just thankful she's alright," Mom comments and sits in the chair just as the doctor comes back in.

He does an exam and determines I don't have a concussion just a bump on the head. After talking with my mom for a minute she's given a whole bunch of papers to sign for my release. While she begins filling those out a nurse wraps my head in fresh bandages and then unhooks me from the IV.

"I'll come by a little later to get her statement," Turner says to Glen while Mom is filling out the papers.

"I want to see Owen, I've been released and I want to see Owen," I demand.

"Owen?" Jake questions.

"He saved me and now he's hurt because he saved me and I want to see him," I state again with some agitation that no one is telling me where to find him.

"I think he's still in surgery but I will take you upstairs to the waiting room," Turner offers.

"Clare you need to go home and rest," Mom asserts.

"NO," I snap at her which was stupid because now my head is pounding. "I have to see Owen, I have to know he's okay and I'm not leaving until I do," I insist in a firm voice.

"I'll stay with her you guys should go to work anyway," Jake comments.

"I'm not going to work today I'll stay with her," Mom says without looking up from the papers she's filling out and I shake my head. I love my mom but I really don't think I can handle her right now.

"Why don't you give Jake your keys and we'll take a cab home. He can stay with her, we'll call the school and you can call into work," Glen suggests and I smile at him.

My mom grumbles but she hands Jake her keys, I get off the hospital gurney and Jake takes my arm. Then we follow Officer Turner upstairs to a waiting room, I've never before seen Owen's parents but Tris recognizes me as soon as we come in.

"I'll see you in a little while," Turner says before leaving.

"Clare what happened?" Tris asks with much alarm. I must look worse than I thought given the alarm in his tone.

"Is Owen okay?" I question while Jake puts me in a chair, I think he's afraid I'm going to break.

"How'd you know about Owen?" Tris asks.

"He's here because of me. This crazy guy jumped in my car and tried to car jack me and I guess Owen saw. He saved my life, Owen is a hero. I'm sorry he's here I'm sorry he's hurt he wouldn't be…hurt…if…" I'm crying too hard to talk now and Jake sits next to me squeezing my hand.

"I'm glad you're okay and Owen will be okay too, he should almost be done with surgery," Mrs. Milligan tells me as she comes over and take's my hand. I wipe my tears and take a deep breath so I can speak.

"Your son is a hero, he saved my life I am so sorry he's hurt. I want to see him if it's okay?"

"Yes of course," she replies squeezing my hand and sits down again.

I spend the next few minutes just trying to breathe and contain my tears. I know Owen's Mom told me Owen would be okay but they all look very worried. In order to keep from thinking about what happened this morning I'm digging into my arm with my nail absentmindedly, at least until Jake notices and grabs my hand. He's holding both my hands now and giving me a worried look but a doctor comes in and we all look at the doctor.

"Owen came through the surgery just fine, he's in recovery and his vitals are good. He has a puncture wound on the left side of his right abdomen that missed any organs, it punctured through a few layers of muscle and had to be sewn up. The laceration to his throat was the most severe injury; thankfully it missed the artery and jugular which kept him from bleeding out. That's the good news, however the knife nicked the cricoid cartilage and went directly into his larynx, the knife even went deep enough to cut one of the vocal cords and severely damaged the superior laryngeal nerve."

"What does that mean?" Owen's dad asks.

"There's a very good chance that Owen will never be able to talk again," the doctor says and I gasp, more tears coming from my eyes.

"At least he's alive, losing your voice is not the worst that could have happened. He'll still be able to move and walk," Owen's dad comments in a voice meant to be comforting but I hear the sorrow in it.

"We're going to keep him sedated for the next 24 hours to let his body heal. You can go in and see him if you like but we he will be unconscious," the doctor tells us.

"I'd like to see him," I hear Owen's mom say. I get out of Jake's embrace and stand up going to Mrs. Milligan before she leaves the room.

"I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry, Owen wouldn't be hurt at all if he hadn't stopped that guy. If he hadn't saved me, I'm sorry…Owen shouldn't…be in the…hospital," I blubber between labored breathes and sobs.

"I think I need to take her home, she's had a pretty traumatic morning," Jake speaks up and comes over to me.

"Yes you should get home and rest, Owen's alive and he'll be okay you heard the doctor. You can come back and see him tomorrow," Mrs. Milligan tells me.

"Come on Clare we need to get you home, you can come see Owen tomorrow when he's awake," Jake insists taking me by the arms and walks me out of the waiting room.

When we get out to the hallway Jake puts his arm around me and we walk down to Mom's car. I don't remember the drive home but I was crying the whole way so that's probably why. When we get home Mom tells me to clean up and then rest in my bed, Glen says Officer Turner will be here in an hour to take my statement. I get upstairs and into the washroom, it's only now that I see blood soaked into my shirt and jacket from the bump on my head I guess. No wonder Tris looked so startled when he saw me. I wash my face and then go into my room to change my clothes; I get into my pajamas and into bed.

"Everyone's been calling, every newspaper and all the TV stations. Everyone wants to interview you after what happened. I told them we'd call them back when you we were feeling better," Mom tells me when she brings me a cup of tea.

"Mom I don't want to be interviewed by anyone," I reply.

"Well of course you do Honey everyone wants to be on TV," Mom says and then leaves my room. I sip at the tea and watch one of my favorite movies on my laptop until there's a knock on my door. I call to come in and Officer Turner enters.

"Hi Clare I just need to get your statement, just tell me what happened," he says pulling up my desk chair to the bed and turning on a voice recorder.

"I left my house at 5:20 I was supposed to go swimming at the school before it opened, and do some work on an article I'm submitting to…I guess that stuff doesn't matter does it?" I comment when I realize I've been rambling.

"That's alright Clare continue."

"I unlocked my car, I park on the street and so does Jake because…that doesn't matter either," I stop myself but the closer it gets to the moment that guy jumped in my car the more agitated I get. "I unlocked my car, when I press the button all the doors unlock and when I got in this man jumped in the backseat," I say and take a deep breath closing my eyes.

"Take your time Clare it's okay," Officer Turner tells me in an encouraging voice.

"I heard the door close that's when I realized he was there and I looked back. This man was there, in my backseat he had these eyes…he looked terrifying and he put a knife to my throat and told me to drive. I…I didn't know what else to do. He said…he told me that he'd kill me if I screamed so I started driving," I say with several pauses for deep breaths and tears. "I just began driving down the street and he kept to the knife to my throat, I was petrified and crying really hard I couldn't see very well through the tears. I could feel the knife against my skin a…" I stop again and close my eyes as I start sobbing harder. I swallow the rest of the tears and take a deep breath before continuing. "It felt like a long time that I was driving with his knife to my throat. Then I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Owen following us, he honked his horn really loud and the guy turned around taking the knife from my throat. Owen's car hit mine and both our cars spun out a little, I hit my head and the next thing I know Owen is pulling the guy from my car. I got out and saw them fighting and I screamed and I heard the sirens but that guy then cut Owen's throat a…"

"That's okay we know the rest," Turner says turning off the recorder.

"That man why did he do it? Why'd he carjack me?"

"You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was fleeing after attacking his mother and we believe when he saw you he saw a quick getaway and that's why he carjacked you. His name is Jerry Walls he's being assessed at the psychiatric hospital. He'll either be held there or he'll be held without bail in lockup. He won't be out on the streets again you don't need to worry."

"He attacked his mom? Is she okay?"

"No he killed her and that's why he was running," Officer Turner says and I curl my legs up to my chest as I start crying again. Knowing that he killed his own mother I realize just how truly close to death I came, had Owen not been there I'm sure that man would have killed me.

 **(ADAM)**

Drew parks at school and we get out of the car, Dad dropped Dallas off for practice early this morning. Drew and I walk up to the steps where most of the Ice Hounds are hanging out. Everyone but Owen it looks like.

"Owen ditch you all for better company? I knew he was the smartest of you all," Bianca chides the hockey team as she bounces up the stairs to us. She puts her arms around Drew's shoulders and greets him with a kiss.

"Milligan better have a really fucking good excuse for not showing up for practice," Dallas gripes.

"Owen wasn't at practice?" Drew asks.

"I'm going to go find Clare," I comment knowing she was going to get to the school early this morning.

"Didn't you guys hear?" Dave questions from behind us and I turn around.

"Hear what?" I inquire.

"Clare got carjacked early this morning, some crazy guy with a knife jumped in the back of her car. Owen saw it or something and followed them. He managed to stop the guy, my dad says he thinks Owen pulled an amateur pit maneuver and then he started fighting with the guy. Clare and Owen both went to the hospital, I think Clare isn't hurt too bad but my dad said Owen's in surgery," Dave tells us and my heart stops.

"How the fuck did you know that?" Dallas inquires.

"My dad was one of the first responders, he recognized Clare and Owen from school and called me," Dave replies.

"Clare's okay right? Is she home? I should go see her," I say quickly turning to head back to the car but both Drew and Dave catch my arms.

"Adam you can't leave school," Drew tells me.

"Last I heard Clare was still at the hospital and she'll go home and rest after that, if she gets released from the hospital today. My dad will get her statement and he promised to call me when he had any information on Clare or Owen," Dave informs us.

"You can see her at lunch if she's home or after school," Drew comments.

"Come on we should tell Jenna and the others," Dave urges pulling me into the school and Drew lets go of me.

We walk in and find Connor, Jenna and Alli. Dave tells them what he told us and they're all worried too of course. We all try calling Clare but her phone goes straight to voicemail, so does her mom's and Jake's and the house phone is constantly busy. When the bell rings Dave and I walk to our broadcast and print production class. Eli's in the class as well as Clare but obviously she's not here today. Since their breakup last week Eli and Clare have been avoiding each other and this class has been pretty awkward.

"Is it true about Clare? Rumors have been going around the school that she was kidnapped," Eli comments.

"Carjacked but I guess kidnapped works too. Either way she had a knife held to her throat by some crazy guy," Dave replies.

"Is she okay?" Eli asks.

"In the hospital still but my dad said she wasn't hurt too bad, he didn't think anyway. Owen was though," Dave says.

"Right he saved her, from bully to hero," Eli responds in a slight sardonic voice as the teacher comes in.

"Welcome class, I'm sure you've all heard the rumors abounding through the school about Clare Edwards and Owen Milligan. First let me tell you that both are alive, beyond that everyone needs to stop spreading rumors and please respect the privacy of the families. Now then onto today's class," the teacher says.

Morning classes seem to take forever but as soon as second period lets out I run out to the stairs. I'm not the only one Alli, Jenna, Connor and Dave are also running out. We all take Dave's car to the Martin-Edwards house and I ring the bell.

"Hey guys she's upstairs, you can see her but she's pretty emotionally fragile right now. She's been bursting into tears all morning," Jake tells us when he opens the door and lets us in. We go upstairs and I knock softly on Clare's door.

"Come in," she calls and when I open the door and she sees me she gives a relieved smile. "Hi Adam, hey everyone," she says sitting up in her bed a little. I can tell she's been crying a lot, she looks tired and afraid but aside from that the only injury I see is a bandage around her head.

"Are you okay? Obviously you're not okay after what happened but how badly injured are you?" I question gently touching her bandage as I sit on her bed.

"I got a bump on the head that's all. Owen's in the hospital, he got stabbed and his throat cut. He fought with the guy, he fought with him to save me and now he's in the hospital a…"

"Clare breathe," I remind her when she starts to become anxious and more upset.

"Is Owen going to be okay?" Dave questions.

"The doctor said he would, he's being kept sedated so he can heal. He shouldn't even be in the hospital, it's my fault" Clare tells us.

"No Clare it's the fault of the guy that carjacked you," I assert.

"What about that guy that carjacked you? Why'd he target you?" Connor questions and is subsequently smacked by Jenna and Alli.

"He's crazy, he killed his mom and saw me getting into my car that early and he got in. The knife was at my throat, I could feel…"

"Clare stop," I interrupt her before she goes any farther because I can see how scared she is just thinking about it again. "It's okay you don't have to talk about it," I tell her.

"Adam's right don't even think about it you're safe and Owen's going to be okay that's what's important," Alli speaks up.

"When are you coming back to school?" Jenna questions.

"Tomorrow I'll be back tomorrow," Clare answers and then her bedroom door opens.

"Helen says Clare needs to rest and you guys need to go. You can come back after school," Jake informs us.

"I'll be back right after school just get some rest," I tell Clare hugging her goodbye. Jenna, Alli and Dave do the same before we leave and Dave drives us back to school.

"How's Clare?" Bianca inquires when she sees us all coming into school.

"Aside from a bump on the head she's okay physically and she'll be back at school tomorrow. She's traumatized though," I reply.

"The girl was carjacked at knifepoint of course she's traumatized," Drew responds.

"What about Owen?" Bianca asks.

"He was stabbed and had his throat cut but he'll be okay he's out of surgery and sedated so he can heal," Alli replies.

"Helen kicked us out so Clare could rest but I'm going back after school," I tell my brother. "Clare's not hurt but she's definitely not okay, not by a long shot."

 **Update on Tuesday June 2** **nd** **will pick up with Clare returning to school and include Owen waking up.**


	2. Awake but Cannot Open My Eyes

**Welcome to short story month! Twenty-five straight days of short stories, revolving in order! Check the DeGrassi Saviors website and my page for the calendar.**

 **Winners for last week's poll are up on the DeGrassi Saviors website and new character polls are up. This week it's Drew, Dave & Spinner. Be sure and get your votes in the poll will stay up for one week.**

 **Also the home page on the website has been changed so check that out.**

 **Ch. 2 Awake but Cannot Open My Eyes**

 **(CLARE)**

"You don't have to go to school Honey, you can stay home and avoid the reporters," Mom tells me as I grab my backpack to go to school Friday morning.

"I don't think she can avoid the reporters at all," Jake comments looking out the window at the reporters on our front lawn.

"I've already called Officer Turner he's on his way to escort you both to school," Glen says.

"I want to go to school, I need to stay busy or I'm going to think about that psychopath jumping into my car and holding a knife to my throat after he killed his own mom and slicing Owen's thr…" I'm rambling when Jake puts an arm around me and I take a deep breath.

"I'm sure she'll do better at school surrounded by her friends," Jake tells my mom just as Officer Turner pulls up in his patrol car. Two more officers pull up in a second car and force the reporters to make a path while Officer Turner comes to the front door and Glen lets him in.

"There are more reporters near the school and we sent a more officers to escort Tristan to school because there are reporters at the Milligan's house. Jake and Clare will follow me out to the car, Clare I want you to walk directly behind me and Jake in the back. Do not talk or look at the reporters and get directly in the car," Officer Turner tells us.

Mom hugs me tightly until Jake and Glen pry her off of me, then Jake and I follow Officer Turner to the car. I sit in the passenger seat and Jake sits in back. Turner drives us to school and there's a crowd of reporters just outside the school. They can't go onto school grounds but they're all gathered right outside, Turner drives through them and parks right at the steps and Jake and I get out. Turner says officers will probably need to escort us home. Adam, Jenna, Alli and Dave are on the steps and they come down to the car, Dave opens the back door to let Jake out and the others come to my door.

"Those stupid reporters I wish they'd just go away," Alli remarks helping me out.

"Ignore them come on let's get into school," Dave says and we walk into school.

"You don't look very hurt," Dallas comments when he sees me.

"She wasn't hurt she was carjacked and Owen was hurt," Jake corrects.

"Whatever, anyone heard how Owen is?" Dallas asks just as someone honks loudly in the parking lot.

The sound of it brings back yesterday morning, when Owen honked distracting my carjacker. It's suddenly like I'm back in the car with the knife to my throat. It all plays out in front of my eyes, suddenly the school disappears and I'm back in the car and I can't move. Someone touches my arm and I jump, gasping just slightly.

"You okay?" Adam questions.

"Yeah just…I'm okay," I nod.

"The first few days are the worst, it will get better and you're safe in here," Drew says and I smile at him. He and Bianca must have come up when I had my eyes closed.

"Come on let's go to class," Adam comments taking my arm. We walk down the hall a short distance before Eli appears.

"Clare I heard about…are you okay I…" Eli begins and then stops and I look away.

Our breakup last week was rather brutal; we haven't spoken since and have been doing our best to avoid each other. After what he did I don't really want him to be concerned about me.

"I'm taking her to class and I don't think okay is the right word. Someone honked in the parking lot and it scared her," Adam tells him. While Adam talks to Eli I notice other people in the hallways whispering and staring at me.

"I'm going to class," I say quietly but my friends all come with me. Dave and Eli also have first period with me and Adam.

"Did Owen really save your life?" Lucy asks sitting at her desk and I nod.

"What was it like? Why'd that guy kidnap you?"

"Shut up, leave her alone," Eli snaps at her and she sits down.

She listens but she's not the last one to ask me questions, stare or whisper at me that morning. Two more people try to ask during class, Adam and I have physics next and when we leave class walking to class other kids whisper and some begin to approach me. Thankfully Drew and Bianca come out of nowhere and do a marvelous job making the other kids stay away from me.

"I will never understand how kids who have never said so much as hello to me in the past feel they can walk right up to me now. Not just walk right up to me but talk to me about what happened, ask questions about it like they have any idea what happened. I don't even want to think about what happened. I told Mom I wanted to come to school but I keep seeing what happened; now Owen is in the hospital because he saved me. And that man, that crazy man jumped into my car after killing his mother and he could have killed me."

"They're curious, you're getting attention and they want to be a part of something. They don't care that you don't want to talk about it. I had all summer after I was shot but Drew went through this after Vince's gang beat him up. It will pass, hopefully by Monday, and I'm sure you can go home at lunch if you want," Adam assures me.

"I don't want to go home either; I'll be alone there with reporters outside my house. If I'm not kept busy then I'll really be thinking about what happened."

"We'll try and keep the kids back, you just focus on making it through the day," Adam says and I smile. I might be barely holding it together but at least I have my friends. When we get out of physics Tristan finds me in the hallway.

"Mom's picking me up to take me to the hospital, they're going to wake Owen up if you want to come," he offers.

"Yes I want to be there when he wakes up," I nod.

I hug Adam and then follow Tris out to the steps, his mom pulls up a moment later and we get into her car. The reporters have mostly been cleared away but when they see us all together the remaining ones jump in their vans and follow us.

 **(OWEN)**

"Owen, Owen Honey wake up," my mom calls to me but she sounds as though she's very away. Almost like hearing someone call to you when you're under water.

I feel sort of heavy and it's dark, and pain lots of pain but I feel my mom's hand squeezing mine and I try to open my eyes. They won't seem to open, I struggle to, I hear my mom's voice urging me to wake up, I hear my brother too. They keep telling me to wake up, to open my eyes and I'm trying but it's never been so hard to open them.

" _I'm trying they won't open,"_ I tell them or I try I don't think I'm actually making words aloud.

"Give it time, he's been out for over twenty four hours and his body is still weak," says an unfamiliar voice, a female voice and one of authority.

My eyes flutter, my eyelids feel like massive weights but slowly they open just a little and then close again. I'm so tired, I feel like I played a football game and then immediately played a hockey game and then worked out for six hours. It takes all the will power I have to force my eyes open again. My mom smiles at me with great relief, Tris hugs my waist and the lady doctor gives me a smile.

"You're awake," Mom smiles with tears in her eyes brushing my hair back and kissing my forehead.

"Don't ever scare me like that," Tris scolds and I open my mouth to talk.

"Don't try and talk Honey just rest," Mom tells me and then looks at the doctor.

"You need you're rest Owen, you've had major surgery. Do you remember what happened?" The doctor asks and I nod. "Then you'll remember that your throat was cut, your life was saved because he missed the jugular and the arteries. However your vocal cords were damaged, the nerve and parts of your throat that make up voice box. It is very likely that you won't talk again and you shouldn't even try for several days," the doctor informs me.

It's about this time that I notice someone else in the room, sitting in a chair behind my mom is Clare. She gives me a smile and comes to the bed, my mom moves away for a minute so Clare can stand closer to me.

"Thank you Owen you saved my life," she tells me with a smile but on the brink of tears.

I open my mouth to talk but remember I can't do that so I make a motion of writing. The doctor understands handing me a pen and little pad of paper.

 **I couldn't leave you in danger and I wasn't going to let him hurt you.**

I hand the note to Clare and she smiles kissing my cheek.

"I'm sorry you got hurt," she tells me with tears in her eyes and I write on the paper that I'll be okay and I'm a fast healer.

"Alright I need to do an exam of Owen," the doctor says.

"Why don't you two go down to the cafeteria to get some lunch," Mom tells them handing Tris some money. Clare doesn't seem like she wants to leave and looks like she might burst into tears at any minute. Tris takes her arm and pulls her out of the room. "Clare has been very worried about you, she feels bad that you were hurt. I told her you'd be okay and I'm very glad she's okay too but you shouldn't have fought with that man," Mom says.

 **He was going to kill her, I couldn't let that happen Mom.**

"I know and I'm glad she's safe, I'm very proud of you for saving her but you're my baby and I wish you weren't hurt."

"Alright Owen I need to have a look at you, Mrs. Milligan maybe you should join the other kids for something to eat," the doctor tells her.

Mom leaves reluctantly and the doctor does a quick exam, looking in my eyes and my surgery incisions. She tells me not to talk and get as much rest as I can, she leaves and I start to fall asleep when mom, Tris and Clare come back in.

"I have to get Clare and Tris back to school and I have to get back to work Honey. The doctor said you need your rest anyway, we'll be back this evening," Mom tells me kissing my forehead.

"See you bro, get better fast," Tris tells me.

"I'll come back later too, if that's okay?" Clare asks.

I can't talk or even really nod but I give her a thumbs up and she smiles. They leave and my eyes close again, I fall asleep again within a few moments.

"Yo wake up the party is here," Dallas' voice wakes me up and my eyes open again. Dallas walks in along with half the team, followed by Drew and Bianca and lastly Clare. I wave to everyone and they all get situated in the room. "How you feeling Dude?" Dallas asks.

 **Exhausted, major surgery makes you tired.** I write on the pad of paper.

"Yeah well heroics will make you tired too," Drew comments and I look over as he holds up a newspaper with my picture, "you're a bona-fide hero, imagine that."

The article is kind of small and only has our year book pictures from last year, no recent pictures. The headline reads **Local Hero Saves Schoolmate from Crazy Carjacker.** There isn't any quotes from Clare or anyone else and very little facts about the whole thing. I set the paper down and pick up my pad of paper again.

 **Not exactly the way I wanted to be famous. How come there's no interview with Clare and just a bad yearbook picture like mine?**

I hand the pad to Bianca and she reads it out loud looking at Clare. She's still standing near the door and bites her lip.

"She's been avoiding the press; they've been trying to talk to her and your family," Bianca answers.

"She doesn't want to think about it she's still traumatized," Drew says.

"So how's it feel to be a hero big shot?" Dallas questions and I shrug.

"Well we just wanted to say hi, see how you are, the doctor said we couldn't stay long anyway and you needed your rest. We'll drop by tomorrow," Drew tells me.

"Yeah come on guys we should go Owen needs his rest," Bianca orders and looks at me, "see you tomorrow Owen, later Clare."

 **You aren't going with them?** I ask Clare as the others begin to leave.

"I came with them to avoid the press but Alli and Jenna are going to pick me up. I'm sleeping at their place," she explains. "I can't believe you saved my life, I was so scared, I didn't even see him he just jumped in my car and then there was a knife at my throat. I thought he was going to kill me, did you know he killed his mom and he was running? He killed someone and he was running he saw me and decided to get away and the knife…I can still feel the knife a…" she's babbling somewhat neurotically and I take her hand. She stops talking when I squeeze her hand and then let go so I can write.

 **Don't think about it, he's in jail right?**

She nods.

 **Then he can't hurt you, a guy like that won't be released on bail. He can't hurt you your safe.**

"Thanks to you, I owe you my life," she smiles.

 **Anyone would have done what I did.**

"No not everyone would have, not even everyone would have called 911. You did more than that, you called 911 and followed us, you stopped him Owen, you saved my life and you lost the ability to speak because of it," she says regretfully.

 **Yeah not being able to talk sucks. Guess I can't be a coach now, you have to be able to talk to be a coach and yell. Maybe I can make it as a football player for a few years.**

"You can do more than coach Owen I know you can. I used to think you were just a homophobic bully but then Tris came to the school. I might not have ever really spoken to you before this or spent any time with you at all but I did see another side to you. What you did for me yesterday is not something everyone would do and I know you can do more than coach. I'll help you find it, you wouldn't be in here if not for me."

 **Stop saying that it's not your fault you got carjacked. I'm in here because some crazy guy held you at knife point and I wouldn't let that happen.**

"I know but you're still in here because of me," she replies and her cell phone makes a noise. "That's Alli and Jenna they're downstairs. I'll be back tomorrow; if you need anything at all call me and I'll…you need my number don't you? You've never had reason to call me before. Here's my number," she says writing it down on my little note pad, "call me if you need anything at all. The doctor says you can't eat yet because your throat is still healing but if you need anything else call me and I'll bring it. I'll come tomorrow, thank you again for everything you did."

Clare kisses my cheek again and leaves the room. I know she feels guilty and I know why but I wish she wouldn't, it's not her fault I'm in here. When Clare's gone I start to fall asleep again, I don't know if it's the surgery, the drugs or just everything that I've been through that's making me exhausted but I can barely keep my eyes open. I wake up again when I hear my dad's voice; my whole family is here and come in the room. Dad tells me he's really proud of me for what I did and Tris says everyone is calling me a hero and all the newspapers and TV shows are calling for interviews. Apparently none of them know I can't talk. My family stays for about an hour before leaving and I fall right to sleep. When I wake up again it's early Saturday morning and a nurse is in the room checking my vitals.

"Good morning Owen, the doctor will be in soon to check on you. Can I get you anything?"

I shake my head and she leaves my room. I turn on the TV and put my bed up a little, the stitches in my neck hurt, my side hurts and I have the urge to swallow but it hurts like hell when I do. After a few minutes the doctor comes in. He does an examination then tells me the stiches in my side will dissolve after a couple of weeks. The ones in my neck will have to be removed, they're keeping me in the hospital a couple of days to make sure I don't get an infection and everything heals alright. I write down that swallowing hurts and it's a little hard to breathe.

"It's the swelling that's making it hard to breathe, if it becomes too hard press the call button. We have you on anti-inflammatories but we may need to up the dosage. The urge to swallow is a side effect and you'll have difficulty swallowing for a while. You also won't be able to eat solid food for a while, not until the muscles fully heal. You won't be able to play sports for several months and we won't know if you'll have any vocal ability for several weeks. I'll see about getting you a vocal computer in the meantime you have your note pad and your cell phone is right here," the doctor tells me opening a drawer and handing me my cell phone.

The doctor leaves and I start to really think about the fact that I can't talk. It's one of those things you take for granted, talking. You learn to talk when you're a baby; even before you can really talk you make noises and sounds that are pre-language. Language is how we communicate and how we've been communicating for thousands of years. Now we're not sure I'll ever be able to make a sound again let alone form words. Communication is essential and I can't talk anymore, I probably can't make sounds at all. Suddenly all I can think about is everything I can no longer do and will never do.

I can't call out plays, can't chat with my friends, talk on the phone, flirt with a girl. I can't talk to my brother, can't assure him when he's feeling down, can't give him advice. I can't cheer with my dad while watching Maple Leaf's games; I can't talk to my family at dinner. I'll never be a coach, I can never call out plays, I can't even give answers in class. I'll never be able to say my vows at my wedding, never be able to talk to my children.

The thought of all this is depressing and makes me angry, really angry. I feel like something is now missing from my life.

"How are you feeling Owen do you need anything?" The nurse asks when she comes in to check on me again.

 **No visitors please except my family, I don't feel like seeing anyone.**

"Of course, there is a young woman here to see you. Cute little thing, I believe she said her name was Clare I'll just tell her you aren't up for visitors," the nurse replies. She turns to leave and I tap my pencil on the paper to get her attention.

 **You can let her in, Clare and my family but no one else.**

The nurse smiles and leaves the room and a minute later Clare comes in. I'm letting her in because I don't want her to think I'm mad at her or that I blame her for any of this because I don't. And I don't want her to think I regret saving her because I don't. I do wish I could still talk but that's not Clare's fault.

"Hi, how do you feel? You look better than yesterday," Clare smiles and I smile back, communicating without words sucks. "The doctor said you'd be released on Monday and can come back to school by Tuesday," she tells me and I nod. "I couldn't drive myself here, I'm afraid to even get in the car alone. I know it's stupid because the guy is in jail but I just can't drive alone right now."

I smile at her and then my family comes in, Clare moves so they can get to my bedside. Mom fusses and repeats everything the doctor already told me, Tris just sits at my bed and smiles at me. My family stays for a few hours, my mom does most of the talking and when she has nothing more to say we all watch TV. Since I can't eat anything my family leaves at lunch time to go eat.

 **You should go eat too.** I write to Clare when my family is gone.

"I'm okay, I'm not hungry. Hospitals are awful places you shouldn't be here alone. I'll leave when you have more visitors, Drew and Bianca are coming and probably Dallas," she says.

 **I told the nurse I didn't want any visitors they'll be turned away.**

"Oh why'd you tell them that?"

 **I can't talk and writing is exhausting.**

"The nurse let me in though; do you want me to go?"

 **You can stay if you want but you should eat lunch you've been here almost 4 hours.**

"I'll go to cafeteria and get something to eat but I'll be back," she replies and leaves the room. She's gone for a while and returns with a salad and a deck of cards. "I'll eat and we'll play cards and you want have to talk. We can play war, no talking necessary," she grins opening the deck of cards.

I watch her shuffle and realize she's no stranger to a deck of cards and she deals them out. I'm not sure if I'm comforting her more or she's comforting me more but I admit it's nice to have company. And we don't talk at all, well she doesn't talk; I don't write we just play cards.

 **Next update will be Sunday beginning with Owen going back to school most likely.**


	3. See the Dawn through a Different Set of

**Winners for last week's poll are up on the DeGrassi Saviors website and new character polls are up. This week it's Bianca, Eli & Fiona. Be sure and get your votes in the poll will stay up for one week. Next week will be the last of the character votes and then we'll move onto couples.**

 **If you're wondering where all the long stories are then you haven't been checking the calendars on the DeGrassi Saviors website. Also the home page on the website has been changed so check that out.**

 **Ch. 3 See the Dawn through a Different Set of Eyes**

 **(OWEN)**

"Just be careful today, you're still healing no bending or stretching or rigorous movements. If it's too much for you just come home, Tris can take the bus home," Mom fusses over me before I leave for school Monday. I was released yesterday afternoon and Clare helped bring me home, Mom has been fussing over me ever since we walked in the door.

"Are you sure he should be going to school?" Tris asks. I want to snap back a reply but I can't speak so I have to type a reply on my phone, been doing that for a couple days now. It's easier than handwriting on a piece of paper but it's still a lot harder than speaking.

 **The doc said I could go to school but I have to take it easy.**

"All the teachers know what happened of course and they'll let you type answers on your phone, if they even call on you they've been told to take it easy on you," Mom says and I nod.

I motion for Tris to come and go out to my car, we get in and I drive us to school. It seems different somehow, the school it seems different. Tris and I get out of the car, we walk to the steps together but my team is on the steps and Tris quickly walks past them and inside. I'm wearing the Ice Hounds the jacket today and while I'm technically still on the team but I can no longer play.

"Hey hero," Luke grins and the team starts cheering and clapping for me.

Other people in the yard start cheering and clapping too. I smile but I can't say anything, can't reply and the whole yard won't be able to see my phone if I type a reply. Some of the team is patting my back and I'm feeling awkward being out here with everyone cheering so I start walking inside. It doesn't help because people inside start cheering too. If they were cheering for me because I'd won a game, which they've done but not in these numbers, I'd feel proud and be gloating. Not that I don't feel proud of saving Clare but it feels weird to be getting this amount of praise and cheering for doing the right thing and losing my ability to talk in the process. I usually like attention but this seems a little excessive.

"Hey hero welcome back," Dallas grins walking over with Drew and Bianca.

"Good to have you back at school how do you feel?" Drew asks.

 **Okay.** I type on my phone and show it to them.

"The whole school is still talking about how you saved Clare I don't think anyone even remembers all the bad stuff you did," Bianca comments.

 **Shoulda been a hero years ago.** I type on my phone, show it to her and Bianca smiles then tells Drew and Dallas what I replied.

"Just be glad all the press is gone, they can't come on school grounds but they might try to interview you still. Jake said they keep trying to get to Clare," Drew informs me as I begin walking to my locker and the three of them follow me.

 **It would be an awfully quiet interview.** I type show it to Drew, he laughs and I get to my locker opening it while he tells Dallas and Bianca what I said.

"Hey the hero's back," Alli says walking past me with Jenna.

"Thanks for saving Clare," Jenna grins and I smile back.

"You know there are easier ways of getting your picture in the paper hero," Mo teases closing his locker.

"Watch out for knives hero," Marisol chimes in.

They aren't the only ones pretty much everyone that passes me either cheers, calls me a hero or makes some smart-alecky remark. It's getting old really fast, as much as people are impressed with what I did others seem angry or jealous. I close my locker and start walking to class more people cheer, others make remarks and many of the same ones like "watch out for knives" and I'm getting rather annoyed by it actually. It's really frustrating to hear it and not be able to reply and the more people talk the more my fists clench. I'm about ready to punch the next person that approaches me except the next person that approaches me is Clare. She's standing with Adam and sees me walking; she leaves him and walks to me with a gentle smile on her face.

"Hi it's good to see you out of a hospital bed and standing. You look a lot better," she grins at least she's not asking me questions or calling me a hero.

 **So do you and I'm happy to be out of the hospital bed and the hospital at all. Wish I could eat though, more than soup and smoothies.**

"I can get you ice cream for lunch, the doctor said you could eat that too," Clare offers.

 **At least I won't die of boredom when not playing cards with you.**

"I'm surprised you didn't get bored after so many card games," Clare laughs.

I'm about to type a reply but then Eli walks over. As soon as Clare sees him coming she turns and walks away giving me a wave and smile as she goes.

"Hey Owen thanks for what you did, saving Clare and all it was brave, guess I was wrong about you," Eli says and I smile in response. Eli sort of smirks and then he turns walking off in the direction that Clare went.

"Is it just me or did Eli's gratitude come off as jealousy?" Bianca questions as we begin walking toward class again.

"It was Eli and it involves Clare so yes definitely some jealousy," Drew replies.

"You think he's jealous that Owen saved Clare?" Dallas questions.

"I think he's jealous that he didn't," Drew says as we get into class and sit at our desks.

"So I thought you weren't up to visitors this weekend? At least that's what we were told by the nurses when we came to the hospital," Bianca comments as we sit at our desks.

 **I didn't want Clare to think I blamed her for what happened. I already know she's been blaming herself. We played a lot of games of war and a few hands of poker. I guess she felt better being there to see how I was.**

"So you save the girl and you spend your time recovering in the hospital making sure she doesn't feel bad, you trying for sainthood?" Dallas taunts. I just ignore him, it's not like I can quip back a response anyway but Bianca can and she does so for me.

"Owen's always had a heart of gold it's just that so few people saw it before now."

Dallas shuts up, more kids are in class and most of them are staring at me, a few make comments about me being a hero as they come into class. The teacher comes into class and welcomes me back, reminds everyone that I can't talk and I'll be typing answers on my phone and then tells me it was a brave thing I did before she starts teaching. I get through class without needing to talk, Bianca and I have second period together and we walk there.

"Hey Owen it was a really courageous thing you did saving Clare," Fiona says when she comes into class and sits down at her desk. More kids come in and make comments and the teacher makes the same kind of announcement as in the last class.

"You want to eat lunch in the caf? Or never mind you can't eat much. You want to get a milkshake from The Dot?" Bianca questions as we leave class when the bell rings.

 **Caf is fine they have the bottled protein shakes, still can't swallow very well.**

Bianca gives me a sympathetic smile and we walk to the caf. Drew sees us walking and comes with us, so do Dallas and a few guys from the team. I get one of the shakes and everyone else gets food. I haven't had much of an appetite anyway but I'm on a lot of drugs still, pain killers and antibiotics anyway, and not having the ability to swallow doesn't give me much an appetite. It's not like I used to talk a lot, I used to run my mouth a lot, say things that weren't appropriate and make a lot of smart ass comments. However I didn't usually participate in general conversations much, even family dinner conversations or lunches with the team. I talked of course, would participate but didn't feel a need to keep the conversation moving if there was a lull in it. Still not being able to talk at all, at least without typing on my phone and having to give it to Drew or Bianca and have them read it, is truly obnoxious. I feel like the dumb kid at the smart table only I'm not dumb it's just that I have no voice. Once I drink my shake down I'm sick of it so I leave the table. I have my backpack since I never went to my locker and I go out the doors and to my car. I wanted to be back at school but I can't take any more of this, at least not today.

"Owen where are you going?" Clare asks running over to me and grabbing my arm.

 **Leaving. Are you coming?**

She looks back at the school and then walks to the passenger door of my car; she's holding her backpack so she must have been going to or coming from her locker. I unlock the car, we get in then I start driving with no destination in mind but I want to be away from the school, away from people. Except for Clare because I get the feeling she understands. She did spend the last couple of days sitting in a hospital room playing cards with me mostly in silence. I drive to Riverdale Park East, find a spot with no one else and park the car. I get out and start walking and Clare just follows me. Not many girls would follow me without question into the woods but again Clare did spend the last couple of days with me, and I did save her life so I'm pretty sure she knows she can trust me. I walk for a while, down a path until I find a clearing with a large felled tree and I sit on the tree trunk. Clare simply climbs up and sits next to me.

For a while we sit in silence, she just sits with me as I stare of into space and let the frustration pass. Normally to let frustration pass I would have gone to the weight room and hit the punching bag a few times, maybe lifted some weights and run on the treadmill. Except that I'm not supposed to do anything more than walk, no strenuous activity so I came out here. After a while I decide Clare deserves an explanation so I get out my phone and type one.

 **I got really frustrated not being able to talk. Having to type everything I wanted to say. I felt dumb not being able to talk while everyone else was talking around me. I've only been typing for the morning and my thumbs are already tired.**

"There are other ways to communicate. You lost the ability to talk but you haven't lost your voice Owen," she tells me and I furrow my eyebrows together.

 **What do you mean?**

"You can talk with sign language, millions of deaf and mute people do it every day."

 **Okay but even if I learn sign language no one else will be able to understand me.**

"I will, I've take American Sign Language as an extra language credit at Centennial for the last two years."

 **Only you would voluntarily take an extra class especially for another language. Don't you already speak fluent French?**

"Yes but I want to be a journalist and being able to speak more than one language is a good thing, both for the job and when applying to prestigious schools like Columbia. So I can teach you and I'll be able to understand you, I can also teach your family, at least teach them the basics so they know what you're saying. Other people like Bianca will probably be able to pick enough to get what you're saying and keep up a decent conversation with you. ASL is a visual language and it's a beautiful language."

 **Okay teach me.** I type on my phone and give it to her then I turn and straddle the log so that I'm facing her.

"Okay you want to start now," she says slowly giving me back my phone. She gets up standing on the log so she can straddle it. I take off my jacket and lie it over the log so she can sit on it comfortably, as she's in a skirt and tights. "Okay we'll start with the alphabet; if you don't know the sign for a word then you can fingerspell it. So put your hand up," she tells me holding her right hand up like she's being sworn in for something and I do the same. "Now fold down your fingers so they're closed over the palm but not curled in like a fist, keep the thumb up and that's A. Now put your fingers up and fold your thumb in and that's B."

We spend a short time on the alphabet; it's pretty easy because most of the signs for the letters look like the letters they represent. When I can go through the whole alphabet twice with no help from Clare I know I have it down.

"Okay let's move on to some signs we'll start with the basics so you can communicate your needs. We'll just do basic communicatory signs and work up to conversational grammar. So the sign for hungry, make the sign for C," she tells me curling her hand into a C which is the sign for C. "Turn your hand so your fingers and thumb point up to your chin," she says and then demonstrates placing her hand like that on her upper chest and I do the same. "The move your hand down a little," she tells me then does it, "like you're showing that you're empty or swallowing food. To say that you're full put your hand out flat with your palm down then tap under your chin with the top of your hand."

I do that and then get my phone to type since I'm still learning and it's too much to finger spell.

 **Like I'm stuffed with food and it's going up to my throat.**

"Exactly," Clare smiles, "like I said ASL is a visual language most of the signs literally illustrate they're meaning."

 **I have a spare 3** **rd** **period can you teach me more right now? I really don't want to head back to school but I'll take you if you need to go.**

"I have a spare 3rd period too and Adam can give me the notes for 4th. Besides I'm pretty sure we have a decent excuse for skipping our last class today after what we've been through recently," Clare says and I smile.

 **(CLARE)**

"Good Owen you're doing great you're picking this up pretty fast," I grin.

 **I can barely remember any of the French I took but I've always been a visual learner. One of the reasons I like sports so much. I want to know more but my mom will be home soon and wondering where I am. Can you come over? Stay for dinner and teach my family some I'm sure my parents won't mind.**

Owen types it all on his phone but we've been doing this for three hours straight. Owen has learned and memorized thirty signs to communicate his needs. Mostly single signs of pronouns, verbs and emotions, we haven't done sentences yet but at least he can communicate some basics without typing now. Thirty signs in three hours may not sound like a lot but we have to do each sign several times so he memorizes them.

"I can come for dinner," I reply and he smiles.

He hops off the log and then helps me down before retrieving his jacket. We walk back to his car and he drives us back to his house which is just a few houses from mine. No one else is home but school would have only let out about twenty minutes ago and since we didn't stop to pick up Tristan I presume he's walking or taking the bus. When we're in the house Owen gets out his phone and seems to be texting either Tristan or his Mom. I also get out my phone sending a text to my mom that I'm eating at Owen's place. He did save my life she really can't argue about it.

As I've never been in Owen's house before I take the opportunity to look around. I'm looking at pictures of Owen when he was young and then Owen taps my arm to get my attention. He points his finger at me which is the ASL sign for you. Then he holds both arms slightly bent at the elbow with his palms up then moves his arms down slightly while curling his fingers in a little, which is the sign for want. And then makes the sign for C tipping it up at his mouth like a cup which is the sign for drink. He just asked me if I wanted something to drink with three simple gestures.

"Water would be nice thanks," I tell him but sign while I'm talking so he can observe and learn. We went over the sign for water and thanks but not the others. Grammar structure for ASL is different than other languages and we haven't gone over grammar yet but if he watches me talk and sign he'll get it.

Owen gets me a glass of water and gets himself a pop; he gives the glass of water to me and motions for me to sit on the sofa. We almost resume our signing lessons but the front door opens and Tristan comes in.

"Hey Clare," Tris nods to me when he comes in.

"Hi Tristan Owen invited me for dinner," I tell him.

"Cool I'm going to go start on homework," Tristan says and then goes upstairs. Before Owen and I can continue with lessons my phone rings and his alerts him to a text message.

"Hey Adam," I answer.

"I came by your house to drop off the homework for writers craft but you weren't there. I left them with Jake, where are you and why'd you ditch fourth period?"

"I'm with Owen; I'm staying for dinner, thanks for getting the homework for me."

"Welcome. Have you been with Owen this whole time?"

"Yep teaching him sign language so he doesn't always have to type on his phone."

"Oh cool well I'll see you tomorrow then," Adam says, we say goodbye and hang up.

 **Adam's worried about you with me?** Owen types on his phone when I set mine down.

"Just wondering where I am, I've only ditched school a few times before."

 **A few? I didn't think you'd ever ditched before.** Owen types and before I can answer the front door opens again and Owen's mom comes in.

"Hi Clare nice to see you," she smiles locking the door.

"Hi Betty, Owen invited me for dinner I hope that's okay. I've been teaching him American Sign Language so he can communicate without needing to type on his phone every time he wants to say something. If you guys are willing I'd like to teach you all some of the basics so you can understand him."

"I think that's a wonderful idea and very sweet of you Clare. I didn't know you knew sign language," Betty says going into the kitchen to start dinner.

"I've been taking it as an extra language credit for a couple of years," I tell her and she smiles.

I'm not sure how Owen's parents felt about me at first. The very first time I met them was in a hospital waiting room while they were waiting for their oldest child to come out of surgery. A surgery he wouldn't have needed if he hadn't saved me. They were nice to me that morning but I was also a bit of an emotional wreck. After that first day I spent the weekend at the hospital just sitting with Owen and keeping him occupied and I think they appreciated that. Now I know they like me, the whole family does but I've spent the last couple of days with them as well.

"We should do our homework," I tell Owen while signing at the same time and Betty watches us from the kitchen.

Owen got the homework from his fourth period history class from Bianca; it was the text he received earlier. I only have homework for my first two classes and Owen and I have none of the same classes so we don't talk while doing our homework. Betty starts dinner, something that bakes in the oven; once she has it in she goes upstairs to shower. Owen's father Josh gets home just as dinner is ready. We all greet him and then sit down to dinner.

"Clare's been teaching Owen sign language and she wants to teach us some of the basics so we can understand him," Betty tells Josh as we all begin eating.

"Good idea, so you've been learning sign language son?" Josh asks and Owen responds by holding up his right hand, making a fist at shoulder height and bobbin his fist up and down.

"That must be the sign for yes it looks just like a nodding head," Tristan comments.

"Yes it was, ASL is a visual language and the signs are visual representations of the words. I can teach you all the alphabet and a few of the basics after dinner if you have time? I can't get to everything I taught him but we can do some and I can come over tomorrow too," I offer.

"That would be wonderful Clare," Betty smiles.

Josh nods his head and Tris responds with the sign for yes. We finish dinner and then we all sit in the living room and I begin by teaching them the alphabet, which Owen knows but he does it with me anyway. After the alphabet I show them the signs for hungry and full just like I did with Owen.

"Is there a sign for eat?" Tris asks after they do the sign for full a couple of times.

"Yes hold your hand up," I tell them demonstrating and Owen demonstrates with me. "Now fold your fingers down resting them on your thumb sort of like you're holding a sandwich. Then move your hand to your lips like you're eating the sandwich," I tell them and demonstrate.

"I like how easy it is to remember, way easier than French," Tris grins.

"Yes it's visual and it's really beautiful to watch, people who are fluent can sign incredibly fast and it's mesmerizing. Okay now water is making a W and tap your index finger to your chin a couple of times," I tell them and show them Owen shows them too and then his family does it.

I stay for another hour teaching his family a few of the signs I taught Owen and they promise to practice. Owen uses the time I'm teaching his family to practice what he learned.

"Well I should get home but I can come back tomorrow," I offer after showing them the signs for emotions.

"Thank you Clare this is wonderful, it will certainly make it easier for Owen to communicate with us and us with him. We'd love for you to join us for dinner again tomorrow, if it's alright with your parents you can come home with the boys tomorrow after school," Betty tells me and Owen nods.

"Thanks I'm sure it will be fine with my parents," reply.

"Owen take her home it's dark out," Josh instructs.

 **I was going to do that anyway.** Owen types on his phone showing it to his dad and making a face.

"I just live a few houses down we can walk no reason to drive me," I say and sign at the same time then Owen and I leave his house. We walk to my house and Owen walks me all the way to my door.

 **How do you say I'll see you tomorrow?** Owen types on his phone.

"Make a V and hold it just under your eye then move your fingers away from your face just a bit and that's the sign for see. You already know the sign for you is just pointing to the person you're referring to. To sign tomorrow make a thumbs up put it on your cheek with your thumb pointing to your ear and then move it forward off your face to make a thumbs up again."

Owen smiles and signs it all together; I smile back, and unlock my front door. I turn and wave before I go in, Owen waves back and then turns and starts walking to his house.

"How was dinner at Owen's?" Mom inquires.

"Great Owen learned a bunch of signs today and his family learned a few and they know the alphabet so he can fingerspell things. I'm going back over tomorrow to teach them some more and maybe a couple more nights this week."

 **Update is Friday starting with the next day at school and including Owen and Clare spending more time together as she teaches him more ASL.**


	4. Timeless Walks & Breathless Nights

**Winners for last week's poll are up on the DeGrassi Saviors website and new character polls are up.** _ **These are the last character polls you will be voting on so make your votes count!**_ **This week it's Fitz, Dallas and Mia. Be sure and get your votes in the poll will stay up for one week. Next week will begin the voting for various couples.**

 **Also check out the new additions to the DeGrassi Saviors homepage. And on my page check out the calendars on my page that list my writing schedule through July.**

 **A/N please read or you will get confuzled :**

 **Because I can't describe every sign they use when speaking in ASL, even as individual signs. Nor can I drop in little illustrations of each sign, not that people who don't know ASL could understand the signs anyway. So instead I will be using the following for this chapter and any future chapters for this story:**

 **1) Words between two ~ symbols means the character is speaking only in sign language and not talking. For example: ~Yes I will~ is someone using only ASL and not talking at all.**

 **2) Capital letters spaced by dashes represents someone fingerspelling. For example ~I am O-W-E-N~ is Owen signing and then fingerspelling his name.**

 **Hope everyone understood those so they won't be confused, and of course anything in bold is either written out or Owen typing on his phone.**

 **Okay that should do it enjoy the Cloweness everyone!**

 **Ch. 4 Timeless Walks & Breathless Nights**

 **(CLARE)**

"So you going to Owen's after school?" Jake questions as we grab our backpacks and head downstairs for breakfast Tuesday morning.

"Yeah to teach him and his family more ASL, he was picking it up pretty fast but he is motivated to learn," I reply.

"That's new," Jake comments and I glower at him.

"His family is getting it too, they learned a few signs last night and they don't really need to sign back to him just to know what he's signing to them," I comment. We sit down at the table just as the house phone rings and my mom answers.

"Hello…oh hello…yes it is…oh she'd be delighted to…well thank you," Mom says and hangs up.

"What did you just get me into?" I inquire.

"Owen is being presented with a special award for saving your life at the game on Friday night. They want to you to present it to Owen on the ice before the game. That was the coach he gave us all tickets," Mom tells me.

"Cool," Jake smiles.

While my family talks about the Ice Hounds game on Friday, an event they haven't attended since we acquired the team, I wonder if Owen has been told of this. I know he didn't go to practice this morning because he can't play sports. Although I suppose the coach probably called Owen's mom like he called mine. Jake and I finish breakfast and leave for school in his truck. When we walk to the steps I see Owen on them, he's standing with Dallas and a few other hockey players but he's not participating in the conversation. Actually he looks bored but smiles when he sees me, waving and coming over.

"Hi," I smile stopping on the steps to talk to him while Jake continues into the school. Only knowing a few of the basic signs he gets out his phone to type.

 **Morning. I was able to get through some of breakfast signing. Still had to type a lot but I've only been doing it for a day.**

"Yeah but practicing will help you and your family remember. Did the Ice Hounds coach contact you about the game on Friday? I'm presenting you with an award for bravery," I tell him.

 **He e-mailed last night, you and your family get tickets. I'm still on the team technically. I won't be in gear or anything but I'll be sitting on the bench with the team. Do you want to go with me? I asked Coach he said you could sit on the bench with me and the team. The action is a lot more exciting when you're up close.**

"Yeah that would be great," I grin.

Owen smiles too and then waves me forward to walk into school and he walks with me. Eli is right at the entrance with Imogen and Fiona and Eli gives me quite the look for coming in with Owen. It's a look somewhere between curiosity jealousy and anger. Owen doesn't seem to notice and I ignore Eli, he decided to take drugs, to go to that rave and take more drugs. His behavior since the play ended was becoming continually erratic and I couldn't take it anymore. I begged him to get help, to talk to me even talk to Adam although I hate putting Adam in the middle. He wouldn't, his solution was to yell a lot, apologize later and take more drugs. I didn't know if it was the pressure of trying to get into NYU, not having something to focus on like the play or if the stuff with Asher bothered him more than he would admit. I really have no idea but by the time Eli streaked through the school I knew it was time to break up with him, even Adam took some space from him after that.

Owen walks me all the way to my locker and types on his phone again. **See you at lunch for more ASL?**

"I'll meet you on the steps," I reply and sign at the same time. Owen grins and walks off and I open my locker.

"So just how long is this hero worship of Owen going to last?" Alli questions.

"It's not hero worship Alli," I refute closing my locker and looking at her.

"Hey I get it he saved your life and you're grateful," she says.

"He did and I am but it's not hero worship it's a friendship. I'm teaching him ASL so he doesn't have to constantly type on his phone. I'm teaching his family some of the basics so they can understand what he's saying. It's not hero worship, after Asher I don't think I'll ever have hero worship for anyone again," I sigh as we begin walking.

"Speaking of is there any news on that front?" Alli questions.

"The Crown Attorney is investigating, looking for more witnesses and proof. When I met with her she didn't seem to think there was much hope and so far Asher isn't getting any kind of backlash. I still wish he would at least get some, I wish even that people would look at him with a little more scrutiny but I doubt that will happen. Although after thinking I was going to have my throat slashed by a maniac a few days ago I'm not so worried about what happens with Asher anymore," I tell her. Alli doesn't have a reply so she simply hugs me and walks off to her homeroom.

"Dallas said you're whole family is going to the game Friday and you're presenting Owen's award for bravery," Adam remarks when I sit down at my desk in class.

"Yeah my mom talked to the coach but I'm going to the game with Owen. He talked to the coach and I can sit on the bench with the other players and watch from there," I tell them.

"So it's like a date?" Eli asks with clear jealousy in his voice and I huff.

"No it's the two of us going to the game as friends and sitting together because I'll be presenting him an award for saving my life," I reply.

"Even if it is a date it's not really your business anymore Eli," Adam scolds him.

"I was just asking," Eli says somewhat defensively.

"Yeah sure," Adam responds with a sardonic tone rolling his eyes. "Anyway my whole family will be there too so we'll see you there," Adam tells me and I smile. Eli says nothing else for the rest of class and when the bell rings Adam and I walk to physics. The class seems to drag on with the teachers lecture.

"We should probably avoid the caf do you want to eat at The Dot?" Adam asks when we leave physics at the sound of the lunch bell.

"Actually I'm eating with Owen," I respond and Adam cocks an eyebrow with a curious expression. "To teach him more ASL he wants to learn," I clarify.

"It's not my business who you date," Adam responds.

"We're not dating Adam I'm tutoring him in ASL," I point out.

"Right, well he saved your life so I can be pretty assured he won't hurt you at least. Enjoy the lunch date, I mean tutoring session," he comments and I twist my mouth at him as he walks off.

I walk to my locker to stash my backpack, then I go to the caf to get some lunch and take it out front. Owen is already at a picnic table so I go over sitting across from him. He smiles at me when I sit down but I won't start the lesson until after we eat. When we're done eating we spend the rest of lunch working on pronouns again and then question signs. Then we review some of the signs we went over yesterday as well as the alphabet. Since we both have a spare after lunch we stay outside and continue the lessons we go over numbers and time signs. After showing Owen the signs for minute, hour, week, month and year I show him the signs for the days of the week. He practices those for a short time and then I show him how to say length of time like two hours and nine weeks for example. He gets a little confused combining the right time sign with the right number sign but it's only his second day.

"The bells going to ring soon we should probably go inside," I comment noticing the time.

~Thank you~ Owen signs and then gets out his phone. **How do I say I'll walk you to class?**

"You already know how to say I and you, walk is easy put your hands out with your palms down. Pretend like your hands are feet and just alternate moving them up forward and down like walking. For class make a C with both hands facing out then circle them around until the C's are facing you," I tell him and demonstrate the sign.

Owen makes the signs in order and I smile signing thank you back, he holds out his arm for me and I smile linking my arm with his. We dump our trash from lunch and he walks me inside to my writers craft class.

~See you A-F-T-E-R class~ Owen signs. I smile and walk into the classroom and he walks off to his own class.

"How was lunch with Owen?" Adam questions coming into class.

"Good he's doing well with the signs and he wants to learn everything, we barely get through learning and practicing one sign and he wants to learn another. I kind of get it though I mean he lost the ability to talk and being able to sign gives him his voice back in a way."

"Yeah that's true, it's good that you know ASL," Adam says and I nod.

"Yes very, I'm going to his house after school again to teach him more and his family some more after dinner. And don't tell me it's hero worship or that I'm spending too much time with him," I warn Adam.

"I didn't say a thing," Adam replies.

Miss Dawes reads to us and then we each interpret what the author was saying, then read our interpretations to the class. When class let's out Adam walks me out to the steps, Drew and Bianca are also out here talking to Owen. Well Drew and Bianca are talking and Owen is nodding and types one reply on his phone.

"So you're presenting Owen with a hero award at the game on Friday?" Bianca comments when she sees me.

"Yeah a well-deserved one," I reply and I swear Owen blushes a little bit.

"We'll be there I told Owen we'd get lots of pictures," she tells me.

"I'm sure my mom will too," I remark as Tris joins us.

"Eli wasn't happy about you spending time with Owen, he made a comment about it in class," Bianca tells me Owen rolls his eyes.

"Eli doesn't have any say in it, at least I'm not high and running through the school naked," I remark. Drew opens his mouth to make a reply but Bianca, Adam and Owen all smack him at once and Drew shuts his mouth again.

 **We should get going see you guys tomorrow.** Owen types on his phone showing it to Drew and Bianca.

They say goodbye, I wave to Adam and follow Owen to his car. Tris sits in back and I take the passenger seat, Owen drives us to his house. Tris gets a snack and then goes up to his room to do homework, Owen gets us a snack as well and then goes upstairs so I follow him. He goes into his room and sits on his bed so I follow him in and look around. It looks somewhat like I imagined, there's no real color scheme, his sheets are light grey and his comforter dark red while his pillows are black. His white walls are covered in posters and pictures; so many that you can barely see the white walls. There's sports memorabilia such as posters, pennants, medals and pictures of him on various sports teams throughout the years. There's also posters of musicians and music groups he likes. A few pictures of him and his friends over the years, most of his friends I recognize. And there's some posters, pinups and even a calendar of scantily clad, nearly naked and sometimes completely naked women. His calendar is still on February of last year so either he never took it down or he really likes that picture. At least the scantily clad, and naked women, are only about 2% of what's on his walls.

"Lots of naked women in here," I comment while signing at the same time.

 **Sorry I can take them down.**

"It's fine, it's your room. So what would you like to start on? Do you want to practice what we went over at lunch?"

 **I think I've already forgotten some of them.** He types with a regretful expression.

"Which is why we practice," I reply and he smiles.

We spend the next hour practicing what I taught him at lunch. When his mom gets home we go downstairs to greet her. While she's cooking we work on our homework and then I eat dinner with the Milligan family again. Even with what they learned and what little they remember from yesterday Owen is able to sign a good deal of what he needs over dinner. After dinner I stay for another two hours teaching his family and reviewing what they learned yesterday. I realize I'm going to need to make some sort of lesson plan, figure out what's essential for his family to know in order to understand Owen and what they can do without knowing.

~I'll walk you home~ Owen signs when we've decided to call it a night.

"Thank you," I smile and sign. I grab my stuff from his room and he walks me home, all the way to my door just as yesterday.

~See you tomorrow~

"See you at school," I smile and unlock my door. Owen grins and turns walking back to his house while I go into mine.

"How was dinner at Owen's?" Mom asks when I come in. She and Glen are watching TV on the sofa.

"Good I'm going back tomorrow night. I have homework to finish I'll be in my room," I tell them as I begin ascending the stairs, "oh and I'm going to the game with Owen on Friday."

 **(OWEN)**

"So are you gonna hook up with Clare after the game? She presents you with an award for saving her life then you take her in your car, find a dark quiet place and tell her that she should repay you for saving her," Dallas comments as we walk to homeroom.

 **Dude don't be vile she's my friend. I saved her life and she's giving me back my voice.** I type on my phone and hand it to Dallas.

Clare's been over every night this week to teach me and my family ASL. She and I have also been working on it every lunch, during our spare and at my house after school. I'm getting it pretty well but we haven't moved onto grammar yet. Still I know the alphabets, numbers to 100 and over fifty individual signs. My family is learning and they can understand a good deal of what I sign. Clare and I can have short sort of stunted conversations all in ASL, not so much whole sentences but the gist of what we want to say.

"Relax I'm kidding but you have been spending a lot of time with her. Although the fact that it's driving Eli nuts is nice," Dallas grins.

 **He always was a zealous jealous.**

"Yeah so I heard, Adam swears Eli has good points but Drew and Bianca old me some pretty crazy stories," Dallas comments as we sit our desks.

I get lots of comments about the award I'll be receiving tonight since pretty much everyone has heard about it now. At lunch, just like all week, I eat with Clare practicing what I know and learning a few new signs. We continue on our spare and then I go to fourth period, world history which I have with B, Dallas and Eli. He glowers at me throughout class, jealous that I'm taking Clare to the game tonight I'm sure. If he has an opinion about it he keeps it to himself and I walk out as soon as the bell rings. I wait on the steps for Clare and when she comes out she and I leave for the arena. I'm dressed for game day and have the jacket on but don't need to change into the uniform. Clare has an extra bag with her today which I can only assume is a change of clothes. Her family will come later; Tris will take the bus home and come with my parents later.

"Welcome Clare, good to see you Owen," Coach says when we get there. The team will be on the bus and coming shortly. "The teams will come out and the national anthem will be played, a carpet and platform are set up and you'll be able to walk from the bench to the platform but you'll both need to skate out to the bench. Owen do it very carefully," Coach says.

 **I know how to skate been doing it since I was five.**

"I know that but I don't want you to get hurt. Now after the anthem plays the mayor will come out and announce the award then Clare you'll present the award to Owen. You'll return to the bench and the game will begin. You'll both watch from the bench," Coach tells us.

"I brought some nicer clothes to change into do I have time?" Clare questions.

"Yeah uh I guess you can change in my office I hear the bus so the rest of the team is here. The other team should be here at any minute but my office is private," Coach tells her.

~I'll show you~

"Thanks Owen," she smiles and signs and Coach surmises that I told her I'd show her to his office.

I take her back there and find out she even brought skates with her. I leave her to change and I go into the locker room to put on my skates. Some of the guys tease me about getting awarded and stuff but I ignore them. As soon as my skates are on I skate out and put my shoes in the bench. Clare comes out and skates, somewhat shakily but without falling, to the bench putting a pair of black ankle boots down. She's changed into black jeans and a maroon sweater which are the Ice Hounds colors.

~You look nice~

"Thank you," she grins and signs.

~Do you want…~ I begin signing then realize I don't know how to say the rest so I get out my phone. **Do you want to skate on the ice a bit before everyone comes?**

"Sure that would be nice, I haven't been in years. Darcy and I used to go all the time but I haven't gone since her r…since she began changing her behavior. These are her skates, mine were too small for me but like I said I haven't been skating in…sorry I'm rambling neurotically aren't I? It tends to happen when I'm nervous."

 **Well I can't be making you nervous we spent more than a week together. So it's either the skating or that everyone will be watching you in a few minutes.**

"The latter, I don't know what I'm supposed to say or do," she tells me.

 **You saw I'm awesome of course.** I type and Clare giggles. **Say whatever you want to there's no script. You give me the award and I guess we shake hands or something. Now come on let's skate the team will be out at any moment.**

I step down to the ice and hold out my hand to her, she takes my hand and steps down. The platform that we'll be standing on is already set up but the red carpet isn't out yet, it's actually a red carpet, no joke. We start skating on the ice, Clare falters a couple of times but I catch her.

"Either kiss or get off the ice we got a game to play," Dallas yells and we look over.

"Guess we should get back to the bench, we should probably get our shoes back on anyway," Clare says and I nod.

We skate back to the bench taking off our skates and getting our shoes on to walk on the carpet. The team starts warming up and people begin coming into the seats. The other team is here warming up on the other side of the ice. I use the time to practice some signs with Clare. The mayor arrives with his aide and they put out a carpet so he can just walk straight the platform and they sit down. By game time the arena is full, I see my family, Clare's and the Torres family along with Bianca among many others. The teams get announced, the national anthem plays and then Clare and I walk out to the platform.

"Before we get to the game I want to honor this young man for his act of selfless bravery. In a moment of peril and with a split second to make a decision he chose to act and not just stand by. Owen Milligan saved the life of his schoolmate Clare Edwards and in so doing lost his ability to talk. So today we honor him with special merit medal of heroism presented to him by Clare Edwards," the mayor says handing Clare the medal. She takes it and steps over to the microphone.

"Thank you Mr. Mayor, I am ever grateful to you Owen for stepping in and saving me. Few people would have done anything at all let alone done what you did, it was truly an act of bravery," Clare says and gives me the medal. I smile and she kisses my cheek. I hold up the medal, everyone cheers and after a minute Clare and I walk back to the bench while the mayor is escorted off the ice.

We sit down, the red carpet and platform get cleaned up and then the game begins. Clare sits with me and we watch from the bench along with the coaches. The Ice Hounds win in overtime by one it was really close.

"You coming for pizza?" Cam asks when the celebration on the ice is over.

~No thanks eating with our families~

"What did he say?" Cam asks her.

"He said no thanks, we're eating with our families we'll see you Monday Cam," Clare smiles.

We wave to them and get our skates back on to skate off the ice. We get our shoes back on, gather our stuff and go out to my car. My family and Clare's are eating at Swiss Chalet, we'll meet them there. My mom and Clare's mom talk all about the award and how many pictures they got and how the mayor sat with them all through dinner. Since Clare and I arrived first we leave first. I drive her home and park outside of her house. I get out and walk her to her door.

"You want to come in for a minute? Our moms will probably be talking about how they were chatting with the mayor for and how many pictures they got for a while," Clare says and signs.

~Yes thanks. I want to see your room~

Clare smiles and unlocks her door, "Well this is it. No naked girls and no sports."

 **No just vampires.**

"Hey there's more than vampires, there's werewolves too, music and my favorite authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne," she says and signs spelling the name out in fingerspell so she talks slowly while she does so.

 **Do you always fingerspell names?**

"When first introducing yourself to someone but people have name signs, it has to be given to you though," she tells me.

~Okay give me mine~ I sign and sit on her bed and she sits next to me.

"Hmm well the sign for brave is like this," she says and then demonstrates the sign. Putting the fingertips of both hands about four inches apart on her upper chest. Then her hands move out and up slightly making fists and she puffs her chest out a little.

 **Like Clark Kent ripping open his shirt to reveal the Superman costume.**

"Exactly, and a name sign is personal and represents something about the person. Since you're first name is Owen and you're brave then your name sign would be brave with the letter O instead of making the fists," she tells me and shows me. She repeats the brave sign but instead of using her fingertips she makes the sign for the letter O with each hand placing them on her chest and then moving them up and out to make fists. She does it a couple of times and then I repeat the sign.

~Do you have one~

"No I don't have a name sign," she tells me and signs.

 **Then I'll give you one. What's the sign for eyes?**

"Easy you just point to your eyes with one finger, point to one and then the other," she says and demonstrates. I do it and then make a C putting it under each eye.

 **That's your name sign Eyes with a C because Clare is your name and you have the most gorgeous eyes.**

Clare smiles biting her lip and blushing slightly. I grin back leaning in slightly and Clare leans in our slightly. We keep leaning in slowly and our lips growing closer and closer…

 **I'm so mean leaving it there, at least you only have to wait until Wednesday for the next chapter of this story. It will pick up from right here.**


	5. When I Lost Faith You Found Me

_**This coming week will be just insane for me and chapters are probably going to be very short. I will do my absolute best not to skip another chapter but they will likely be on the short side.**_

 **The character polls are all done, thank you to everyone that voted. There will be two sets of coupling polls to vote on, I will leave each set up for two weeks. For the next two weeks you can vote on who you want Clare, Adam, Bianca and Fitz to be with. Please please read the notes for the voting it is important. Each of the polls allows for a write in option you can suggest anyone you like including crossover characters.** _ **Please note who is on each poll, you don't need to suggest Bianca be with Clare because you can vote for Clare/Bianca on Bianca's poll**_ **.**

 **Also just below the polls is a list of all the characters (so far) that will be included, more may be added dependent on the coupling polls. Below the list of characters is a slideshow of some of the characters as their creature for the story. Not everyone gets a picture because I really don't know what to do for some of them such as vampires and damphyr. I'm open to suggestions but bear in mind that I don't have Photoshop or illustrator and I haven't a clue how to make animations or gifs.**

 **Ch. 5 When I Lost Faith You Found Me**

 **(OWEN)**

Our lips inch closer and my eyes start to close when suddenly Clare turns her head and jumps up like she was bitten by a snake. She has her back to me so I get up and touch her arm turning her to me so she can see me sign or read my phone.

~Sorry~

"No it's nothing to be sorry for," she tells me but she's biting her lip and looks pensive.

 **What's wrong?**

"People have been telling me all week that my time with you is hero worship. I know it's not hero worship and we've become friends spending so much time together. I just don't want to kiss you impetuously because that never works out for me. I don't want to kiss you unless there's actually something between us. I don't want to ruin a great friendship over a kiss and mixed feelings."

 **Do you have mixed feelings? I wanted to kiss you because I have feelings for you. I saved your life and then you saved mine and in it all we became fast friends. You've been at my house every night this week. We've eaten lunch together, spent our spare period together. I know that you are sweet, caring, intelligent, generous and that I'm happy when I'm with you. I wanted to kiss you because I do have strong feelings for you. More than just friendship and not hero worship, I'm sure of how I feel but if you're not then I'll go home.**

I type it all onto my phone and then hand it to her to read. She reads the whole thing twice, rolling her lower lip between her teeth as she reads it through a second time. Then she hands me my phone still with her lip pulled into her teeth. She's looking down and I can't see her eyes but since she's not looking at me and hasn't said anything I think she wants me to go home. I take a step toward the door reaching my hand for the handle when she grabs my arm and spins me around. She pins me to the door with a surprising amount of force for her small stature. Clare stands on her tiptoes and tenderly abducts my lips with hers; I put my hand at the small of her back and deepen the kiss parting my lips slightly. Clare parts her lips slightly as well, they softly encase my bottom lip and she tenderly sucks it eliciting a moan from me. I hold her closer locking her body to mine as our lips are locked. We don't pull apart; we don't even really breathe we seem to be pulling oxygen from the kiss. It's not until we hear the front door closing that we break the kiss. Clare blushes and bites her lip, she starts to turn her head down and away from me but I put my fingers under her chin and turn her head back to me smiling at her.

 **Still questioning your feelings?**

"No not at all," she grins.

 **Will you go out with me? A date tomorrow night?**

"CLARE IT'S TIME FOR OWEN TO GO HOME," her mom calls up the stairs and Clare makes a face.

"I'd love to," Clare grins.

~Pick you up a-t eight~ I sign, kiss her cheek and leave her room waving to her family as I leave.

I drive home thinking about what we'll do tomorrow night. I fall asleep thinking about it but by morning I've decided. Clare and I have our picture in the paper this morning, a picture of us with the mayor from last night. Mom was very excited about it and put it up on the fridge. I spend the whole day looking forward to the date; I sent a text to Clare telling her I'd pick her up at six. I choose dark jeans and a black polo, grab my team jacket, check my hair and then I leave. I already told Mom I was going out tonight, just didn't mention it was Clare I was going out with and not the guys. It's less than a minute drive to Clare's house. I park out front and go to the door ringing the bell and Jake opens it.

"Hey Owen she'll be down in a minute," Jake tells me and I nod. I would sign thanks but I don't know that Jake would understand. Jake moves so that I can come in, he sits back on the sofa watching TV and Clare comes down after a moment. She's wearing black ankle boots and a plum colored dress with a black jacket.

"Don't forget to tell Mom I'm sleeping at Alli's," Clare says to Jake.

"Yeah I know," Jake nods.

I hold the door open for Clare and we go out to my car, I open the door for her and drive us to the restaurant. I decided to avoid anything near DeGrassi or downtown on a Saturday night but I found a great Italian place close to U of T.

"Table for two please," Clare says for us. The hostess seats us and we look at the menu for a minute before the waiter comes over and asks if we want something to drink. He's pretty young maybe two or three years older than me.

"Coke please," Clare orders and I nod, "make that two," she says and the waiter nods saying he'll be back in a few minutes for our order.

~You look beautiful~ I sign to Clare when the waiter is gone.

"Thanks you look handsome," she says and signs at the same time and I smile. We look back at the menu and the waiter returns to get our order.

"Have you decided?"

"Yes I'd like the baked penne," Clare says.

"Soup or salad?"

"Salad," she replies and the waiter looks at me. I point to the meat ravioli and he nods.

"Soup or salad?"

 **Soup. Minestrone.** I type on my phone.

"Uh okay," the waiter nods slowly but he's giving me a look for not talking.

~Sorry~ I sign to Clare.

"Sorry for what? He probably wouldn't have understood ASL you have nothing to be sorry for," she tells me.

 **It's embarrassing and frustrating.**

"I know but it's something that deaf and other mute people go through every day. You're learning ASL and we're teaching your family some signs so you can communicate with them better but you're still going to have to type on your phone or write when talking with everyone else," Clare tells me and I nod. There's a lull in the conversation until something occurs to me.

 **If you're sleeping at Alli's shouldn't you have a bag?**

"No that's just what Jake's telling my mom," she replies and my eyebrow arches wondering what she has in mind. "Well I wasn't intending on sleeping at your house either," she giggles. "Since Eli's little rampage and the carjacking my mom's been more over protective than usual, she'd actually calmed a little since marrying Glen but now she's super protective and strict again. I understand why but it doesn't make it any less annoying. I was worried to tell her I was going on a date with you, even though she must realize I'm safe with you, you saved my life after all, but you are still healing. Plus coming on the heels of Eli and the carjacking well I just wanted to avoid any stress on her part. I didn't tell Jake I was going on a date either, not that I'm embarrassed to be with you but I didn't want Jake to tell anyone and rumor to spread, there have been enough of those lately. I told him I was going to your house for more ASL lessons and we'd probably go late."

 **Dressed like that?**

"Jake stopped paying attention to how I dressed when we stopped dating. I'm fairly certain I could leave the house naked and he'd never notice. It just means I don't have a curfew but I can sleep at Alli's her parents will let me in and Alli and Jenna won't mind."

 **I don't have a curfew either so really we have all night.** I type but I'm actually picturing her naked now that she brought it up and I have a carnal smile because of it.

"Yes we do," Clare smiles and signs and the waiter brings our food.

"Hey you're that guy right, the one that stopped the carjacker? Hey and you're the girl he saved. I saw your picture in the paper this morning getting that award from the mayor last night," our waiter says and I smile and nod. "Sorry I didn't recognize you before, lost your voice right, your throat was slashed?" He comments more than asks but I nod again. "Man that's brutal, well let me know if you need anything else," he says and I nod again then he walks off.

"You're famous," Clare smiles after the waiter leaves.

~You also~

Clare smiles and we eat mostly in silence, exchanging a few signs like the food is good but that's it. I pay for dinner and we get back in my car, I figured that a movie while being a terribly conventional date would also be easy since you don't talk at the movies. I pay for the tickets and we go in.

 **You want to get a drink and a dessert or something? It will be easier if you order.**

"Sure what do you like?" Clare says.

 **Everything.** I type and then get out my wallet handing her some money. I go into the theatre and find us seats near the back, Clare comes in a moment later with a large soda that has two straws and two ice cream sandwiches. She sits next to me and we watch the pre-movie ads while eating dessert. We have a nice time at the movies, after about an hour of watching Clare wraps her arm around mine and puts her head on my shoulder.

 **Since you don't have to be home do you want to do something else?** I type as we leave the theatre and give her my phone as we get in my car.

"I don't want to go home yet but it's pretty cold outside," Clare comments.

 **We can go back to my house.**

"What about your parents?"

 **They won't mind.**

"Okay to your house then," Clare smiles and I start driving.

Tris is sleeping at Maya's and my parents are in bed when we get to my house anyway so Clare and I go up to my room. I take her coat and hang it on my door and she takes her shoes off. She's about to sit on my bed when she sees a stack of university applications in my trash and pulls them out.

"You don't plan on going to university?" She questions sitting on my bed.

 **What's the point? I can't go to classes and most jobs require you to speak. I wanted to be a coach now I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know how I could get through university without talking let alone get a job where they don't need me to speak.** I type it all and give her my phone to read it then take off my shoes and sit next to her on my bed.

"Owen not being able to speak doesn't mean you give up your future. Deaf people and mute people have jobs and go to school. You could be an interpreter, not the kind that speaks for a deaf person but they use ASL interpreters at lectures, plays, meetings and I'm sure many other places. ASL interpreters make pretty good money too. Or you could be an ASL teacher for deaf kids, maybe even a coach for a deaf sports team. You can't just give up because you can't speak you have options."

 **I guess I didn't really think about it, honestly sometimes I feel like the only one in this situation.**

"Which is understandable but you're not, do you want to learn some more ASL since I'm here?" Clare asks and I nod.

~Yes~

"Okay how about night signs. To sign star you extend your index fingers and point them at the sky, then raise and lower your hands like your pointing up at lots of stars."

~Stars~

"Good and for moon make a c shape with your thumb and your index finger. Hold it to your eye so that your thumb is below your eye and your index finger above your eyebrow. Then move your hand away and up like a telescope looking up at the moon."

~Moon~

"Exactly and for sky you start with arm extended across your body, palm down then move your arm up in an arc like you're painting a rainbow across the sky."

~Sky~

We spend about an hour going over some other signs and then I go downstairs to get us something to drink. I'm hungry again so I grab a snack and go back to my room.

"Oh good I was getting hungry again," Clare smiles when she sees the snacks on my tray.

 **Do you want to watch a movie?**

"Sure, no horror movies I hate them. But first sign what you just asked me."

 **What's the sign for do?**

"Most of the time you won't even use a sign, usually to indicate do as in asking do you, you raise your eyebrows and point at the person you're asking which is of course the sign for you. Raising your eyebrows indicates asking a question. And you won't sign to or a either. You can use the sign see for watch or use the sign for watch which you put your thumb up, crook your index finger and curl the others. Then move your hand away from you," she tells me and demonstrates and I mimic. "Good and for movie, face your non-dominate hand toward you, place the palm of your dominate hand behind your non-dominate hand and shake it back forth. Sort of like images moving on a movie screen," she says and demonstrates then I follow her demonstration.

~Do you want watch movie?~ I sign slowly having to think about most of them as I sign.

"Yes a movie would be great," Clare smiles and signs.

I smile and pick out _The Great Escape_ it's a classic and it's not scary only some suspenseful moments and it's a great adventure movie. Clare sits back on my bed, I sit next to her and we watch the movie eating the snacks I brought up. I guess we were more tired than we thought because we both fall asleep before the end of the movie. I wake up after a while but Clare is asleep on me, her head on my shoulder and her arm draped over me. I don't want to wake her so I just turn off the TV and pull the blanket over us. I fall back asleep within moments and don't wake again until Clare leaps out of bed as if on fire the next morning.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," Clare apologizes.

I grab my phone from the nightstand and type. **It's fine you told your mom you were staying at Alli's and I didn't mind sleeping with you in my arms all night.** Clare blushes smiling gently and biting one corner of her lip but then shakes it off.

"That's not what I meant; we've only been on one date."

 **Nothing happened we just slept. We fell asleep watching the movie and I didn't want to wake you.**

"I didn't mean for that to sound like I thought you took advantage I know you wouldn't do that. I've never slept with a guy before even if it was just sleeping and he is my boyfriend."

 **You just called me your boyfriend.** I smile and pull her onto my lap.

"I guess we're in a relationship then," Clare grins.

~Yes~ I smile and gently put my lips on hers Clare wraps her arms around my neck and deepens the kiss. I pull out of the kiss after a moment and get my phone. **Stay here for the day I want to learn more ASL and practice what I know.**

"Happily, but I would like to go home to change out of this dress," Clare tells me and signs. I smile and grab her coat, we put on her shoes and I walk her over to her house. "I'll be down in a minute, you should probably wait here. My parents are at church, Jake is probably sleeping but if my parents come then you picked me up from Alli's and we're going to your house so I can teach more ASL," Clare tells me and I nod.

She grips my jacket pulling me to her and just before our lips lock in heated passion Eli drives by. He sees us about to kiss and I feel his glare as my eyes close and my lips capture Clare's.

 **Since I had to skip last Wednesdays chapter I'm going to try to do another chapter on Wednesday. I can't promise that there will be one though, our company's big annual party is Friday and I have a lot to do for that and many other things at work. Check the website on Wednesday and I'll let you know if there will be a chapter or not. The next update will probably pick up from right here or at school on Monday.**


	6. My ASL Angel

**Hopefully it's just a few more days of such short chapters.**

 **Since it's been so long since the last chapter don't forget that the bold type is Owen typing a response on his phone, words between two ~ symbols means the character is speaking only in sign language and not talking. For example: ~Yes I will~ is someone using only ASL and not talking at all. Capital letters spaced by dashes represents someone fingerspelling. For example ~I am O-W-E-N~ is Owen signing and then fingerspelling his name**

 **Ch. 6 My ASL Angel**

 **(CLARE)**

I watch Eli drive by with his eyes narrowed at us, "On second thought come inside I don't want you and my ex getting into a fight on my front step."

 **Would be no contest.** Owen types on his phone after I've locked my door.

"Eli might be smaller but he's a pretty good fighter. Don't forget that he broke Dallas' nose and took on Fitz. Anyway I don't want you guys fighting regardless. Even though he has no right to be jealous since he broke up with me."

 **He has trouble letting you go. Always has.**

"He did but this time he broke up with me and he's on bipolar medication, he's doing better. I'm going to change I'll be right back," I tell Owen kissing his cheek and running upstairs. I change real fast, brush my hair and everything leaving my room as Jake sleepily comes out of his. He looks at me, yawns and goes into the washroom. So long as I'm not shacking up with pot dealers he usually doesn't care what I do. "Okay let's go," I say coming downstairs again.

We get back in Owen's car and he drives us back to his house. We haven't eaten yet so we get breakfast and go back to his room. I start to eat but then become lost in my thoughts breaking out of them when Owen taps my arm and I look at him.

~What's wrong?~

"Nothing just thinking," I reply taking another bite of my waffle.

 **About Eli?** Owen types on his phone.

"Sort of, about everyone I guess. I should probably tell a few people before school on Monday, especially after Eli saw us kiss. Let's worry about that later, you need to learn more sign and I think we better start with the word about," I tell him and sign while talking. "Make an O with your dominate hand and flatten it, then circle the index finger of your non-dominate hand around your four fingers. This is a general sign, you could just as easily say explain, for instance explain to me about your trip instead of tell me your trip," I tell Owen after showing him the sign for about a couple of times. He practices the sign for about a couple of times and then uses it.

~Worried about E-L-I?"

"Very good, and no Eli broke up with me and it's not his business who I date next," I reply.

~E-L-I didn't like you with J-A-K-E~

"No but it's still none of his business. You know we should probably come up with name signs for our friends and family. Fingerspelling everyone's names is going to get tiresome," I comment.

~Yeah good idea~

"Like Jake always wears those plaid shirts so our sign for Jake could be the letter J ending it on our shoulder at the end of the collar bone instead of in the air. Because the sign for shirt is to pull at your shirt and he's always wearing a flannel shirt," I suggest and Owen smiles.

 **Tris likes drama, what's the sign for drama?**

"Drama, act, theatre and play all use the same sign it just depends on the context they're in. Make an A with both hands and then move in a circle, like peddling a bicycle backwards," I say demonstrating the sign and Owen follows my demonstration. "Good so if we were going to use it for Tristan's name sign we would use T hands instead of A," I say changing my hands from the letter A to the letter T with the same sign.

 **I like that it fits Tris. What about your sister?**

"Somehow I don't think Darcy will come up much as she hardly ever e-mails and I haven't seen her in three years. For Mom and Dad we'll just use the mom and dad signs. Since I'm usually referring to Glen and not my dad when talking about my parents I'll just use the sign for Dad for Glen and sign an R for Randall before the dad sign if I'm talking about my dad. What about your friends?"

~What friends?~

"Owen I know you have friends, how about Bianca? What does she like? Well besides Drew," I comment.

~Dance, being right, being smart, getting her way~

"Let's go with dance, for dance you hold your non-dominate hand flat like a dance floor and make a V with the other. Now turn the V upside down and put them on the non-dominate hand like legs on a dance floor. Swing your dominate hand over your non-dominate hand. Think of swinging Elvis hands on a dance floor."

 **So for Bianca's name sign the upside down V hand becomes a B?**

"Right but you'd want to demonstrate the B sign first so show a B then turn it upside down with your other hand out like Bianca is dancing," I smile and we both do the sign. I start writing them all down so we won't forget as we're coming up with other signs.

~Now D-R-E-W he likes sports he can't play anymore though~

"Yes but there's got to be more to Drew than sports. He loves Bianca, he's a good brother to Adam. He's not very bright but let's not give him a name sign that calls him dumb. He also plays the drums, the sign for drum is to make loose fists with your index fingers bent and slightly out. Then you move them up and down like hitting a drum," I say and demonstrate.

~Drum with D is D-R-E-W~ Owen signs and then makes his hands into the D shape repeating the drum sign.

"Exactly. Now Adam, he plays bass but I think we just use the sign for guitar for bass. He likes skateboarding, comics, science, he's always smiling and using his humor."

 **He's had to stand up for who he is.**

"Yeah and there is a sign for transgender but I don't want to make that his sign."

~How about music? He plays and loves music"

"Yeah that's good so the sign for music with an A hand instead of an open hand," I say and do the sign.

~D-A-L-L-A-S should be hockey~

"Agreed and the sign for hockey already almost uses the D hand we just need to straighten our finger. Alli should be the sign for fashion, hold your non-dominate hand up and separate your fingers to make a 5 hand. Extend the index finger of your dominate hand and move the hands together until your fingertip hits the middle of your palm a couple of times," I tell him and demonstrate then Owen does it. "So for Alli instead of your index finger make an A hand and touch that to your palm a couple of times. Let's see Jenna is about the only blonde so her name sign could be blonde," I comment and Owen nods. I have to think a second to remember the sign for blonde. "Make a Y hand turn it toward your forehead and then move down shaking your hand a bit side to side, like brushing your long blonde hair."

~Blonde~ Owen signs and I smile.

"So for Jenna's name sign instead of a Y hand we do the sign make a J first and then your pinky stays out drags down your hair," I say and we do the sign. "Let's see for Dave, well he is class clown and the sign for clown is like putting on a clown nose. Put all your fingers together and move toward your nose and back a couple of inches. For Dave's name sign we'll do that with a D hand instead of our fingers being closed," I say and both Owen and I do the sign. "Okay Eli wants to make movies, so the sign for movie, with an E hand instead of a 5 hand, now for Connor and that's enough for now," I comment.

 **Guess we shouldn't use autistic, he played football this year and he played basketball. He likes school and he's smart, and sometimes a know-it-all.**

"Let's use the sign for school, but instead of our top hand being flat it would be in a C for Connor," I remark and Owen and I do the sign.

~Drew, Bianca, Dallas, Adam, Connor, Jenna and Dave will be surprised to see us together at school on Monday~ Owen signs using everyone's name signs. ~Eli was when he saw us K-I-S-S~

"Hold your fingers to the corner of your mouth and move up to your cheek," I tell Owen and he does. "That's one sign for kiss; another way is to hold your hands up with your fingers closed. Then move them together until the fingertips touch like two heads kissing."

~I like that one~ Owen smiles repeating the sign for kiss before kissing me.

"I think it's time for lunch and then we can work on more signs."

~Yeah I'm hungry~

We make sandwiches for lunch and show Tris his name sign which he really likes. After eating we sit in the living room and I work on signs with Owen and Tris. I stay for dinner, Owen and I sign through most of dinner but I translate for his family. After dinner Owen walks me home.

~How do you say G-I-R-L-F-R-I-E-N-D?" Owen asks when we get to my door.

"Just combine the signs for girl and friend, remember girl is making a fist with your thumb sticking out. Then run your thumb from the back of your jaw to your chin, like running your thumb along a ribbon on a baby bonnet. The sign for friend is your index fingers hooked then lie one in the other and reverse. Now sign girl and friend quickly together and that's girlfriend."

~See you at school tomorrow beautiful girlfriend~ Owen signs and I smile.

"See you tomorrow, handsome and brave boyfriend," I say and sign with a smile then link my arms around his neck and take his lips for a kiss. After saying hi to my family I go up to my room and get out my phone.

"So you and Owen huh?" Adam answers his phone.

"I guess you saw Eli today," I remark.

"Yeah he saw you kissing, wasn't too happy about it, kept grumbling about you dating a bully."

"Owen's not a bully, anymore, and I don't have hero worship for him. I am very grateful that he saved my life and admire his bravery but that's not why we're dating."

"I told Eli he wasn't a bully anymore. Owen did apologize for throwing me into a door and he's friends with Drew," Adam says.

"Owen is awesome," Drew calls loud enough that I can hear him.

"You can tell your brother I agree. I should call Alli and Jenna or they'll kill me if they hear it second-hand at school tomorrow," I comment and Adam laughs.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Adam replies and hangs up. I click on Alli's name and wait a couple of rings before she answers.

"Hey Clare," Alli says.

"Hi Clare," Jenna calls.

"Hey I just called to tell you both that Owen's now my boyfriend."

"I knew it! I knew all the time you two were spending together that you'd be dating," Alli squeals.

"I do genuinely like him this isn't hero worship but we have been spending a lot of time together while I teach him ASL."

"Well I think it's romantic, he saved your life, you saved his when he'd given up because of losing his voice. Now you two are falling in love, you should write a book about it," Jenna says.

"Thanks Jenna, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

I hang up and take a shower, take my laptop downstairs and watch TV with Jake for a while before going up to my room to go to bed. I get ready for bed and find a text from Owen.

 **Goodnight my ASL Angel I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well.**

I smile and my heart skips a beat, I get in bed and remember falling asleep in Owen's arms last night.

 **(OWEN)**

"Good morning Owen, what would you like to eat?" Mom asks and signs as many of the words as she knows to practice.

~Waffles~ I sign grabbing them from the freezer and putting them in the toaster.

"Can I give my friends name signs?" Tris asks sitting at the table with a big bowl of cereal.

~No~

"Why not?"

 **It's not how it's done, we made signs for our friends and family so we wouldn't have to fingerspell their names.**

"Well I'm going to show them my name sign," Tris says.

We finish breakfast and I drive Tris and me to school. Clare isn't here yet but when I get inside I find Drew and Dallas and I wave.

"Hey we heard about the new girlfriend. It's about time you bagged yourself a babe and forgot about Anya," Dallas smiles.

"Ignore him I think Clare is good for you," Drew says.

"You and Clare? You guys are adorable together, plus you're not crazy like Eli," Bianca comments coming over to us before greeting Drew with a kiss.

"I guess hero worship is a real turn-on maybe I should save Alli's life," Dallas grins.

 **Dude shut up, Alli is in love with Dave and Clare is not dating me because of hero worship.** I type and hand the phone to Dallas just before my arm gets tugged on. I turn my head and smile at Clare who greets me with a chaste kiss on the cheek. ~Hi Clare~ I sign using her name sign.

~Good morning Owen~

"Just great they have a secret language now," Dallas grumbles.

"It's ASL moron I think it's a pretty language," Bianca grins.

~Yes and we gave you all name signs yesterday~

"What did he say?" Drew questions.

"We gave you all name signs yesterday so we don't have to fingerspell your names every time," Clare explains and shows them all their signs. After Drew learns his he just keeps doing it repeatedly until Bianca smacks his arm. "Do you have plans after school? I mean you don't really have to go to practices anymore right?"

~No P-L-A-N-S~

"Good can Tris find his own way home?"

~Yes he has rehearsal for Eli's movie after school~

"Good I have a little fieldtrip for us after school," Clare tells me just as the bell rings. She kisses my cheek and runs off to class.

"Ooh secret fieldtrip with the girlfriend, maybe she's taking you to buy some lingerie," Dallas chuckles as we all walk to class.

 **Shut up that's my girlfriend and you are not to think about her buying lingerie.**

"It's Clare she's probably got a romantic date in mind," Drew shakes his head. We reach English class at the same time as Jake.

~Hi Jake~ I sign using his name sign and he looks a little confused.

"Yeah uh hi Owen and whatever that last sign was," Jake replies.

I laugh and sit down at my desk, English goes by pretty quick at least Miss Oh just reads to us and I rarely ask questions in this class anyway. Nutrition and Health class is a different story and I have to type on my phone a lot and hand it to the teacher who would read it out loud. That gets annoying fast and I wish the whole world knew ASL so I wouldn't have to type. When the bell rings for lunch I find Clare at her locker, Adam's also at his locker and I wave to him.

"Hey Owen," Adam smiles.

~Hi Adam~

"The last one was your name sign," Clare explains.

"Cool I like it," Adam grins.

~You want to eat together?~ I ask Clare.

"Sure," she smiles grabbing her lunch and we go to my locker. I grab my lunch and we go outside.

~You going to tell me where we're going after school?~

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise," Clare grins and I tickle her side.

We eat in silence, well obviously, but we do talk a little in ASL and I practice some signs. We both have a spare after lunch and we spend it in the storage room while Clare teaches me more signs. My fourth period class is my only one with Eli and he's waiting by the door.

"Can I have a word with you?" Eli requests. I shrug and we walk away from the classroom a bit. "I'm not exactly thrilled that you and Clare are dating. Actually I hate it. But I know I screwed up and lost her and I know you saved her life and according to Adam she's happy with you. Which I have to admit I have seen. Just be good to her, don't be stupid like I was."

 **I will treat her like a princess.**

"And know that if you break her heart I will be the first in line to hurt you and mend her broken heart."

 **I don't doubt it.**

Eli nods and we go into class, when the bell rings I find Clare waiting for me. I steal a quick kiss from her and we go out to my car.

"Can I drive? If I tell you where to go it won't be a surprise," she points out.

~Ok~ I sign holding my keys out to her and then pulling them back. ~Kiss first~

Clare twists her mouth at me but then she gives me a soft kiss. I give her my keys and we get in my car and I wonder just what she has planned.

 **Next update is Thursday September 17** **th** **picking up from right here and Clare's surprise for Owen.**


	7. Finding the Happy Life

**Last chapter everyone. Thank you to everyone who read this story and enjoy this chapter. I know it's short it really should have been combined with last month's chapter I just didn't have time.**

 **Ch. 7 Finding the Happy Life**

 **(OWEN)**

When Clare pulls up to U of T I'm very confused. She parks and we get out, she takes my hand as we begin walking through the campus. I see a lot of happy students, well mostly happy students some look frustrated, people are talking and studying. We come to a classroom and she opens the door. The room is filled with kids around our age and a man in his early forties.

"Owen this is Mr. Foley he teaches ASL here and every student in this room is deaf and attending U of T," Clare tells me and signs at the same time. She fingerspells my name instead of using my name sign so everyone knows my name.

~You're all deaf?~

~All of us, some were born deaf and others became deaf later because of illness~ A student tells me.

~I'm studying to be a physical therapist~

~I'm in the accounting program~

~I'm studying art history~

~I'm in the astronomy and astrophysics~

~Being deaf doesn't stop us from doing anything we can be anything we want. We rely on interpreters in our classes. We can all read lips but that's hard to do when you can barely see their lips and they're constantly moving around the room~

~Or when there's a presentation or a slideshow in the dark it's almost impossible to know what's going on without an interpreter. Someone to speak to us for the teacher~

I talk with everyone for a couple of hours, Clare and the ASL teacher help interpret since I'm still learning. Even though they're deaf and not mute it feels good to talk to them, people that understand what I'm facing and the frustrations I have dealing with the rest of the world. After we leave the classroom I stop Clare from walking, picking her up in my arms and kissing her deeply.

~Thank you I feel great now~ I sign but I want to say more and don't know all the signs yet so I get out my phone. **I know you told me there were things I could do and it wasn't hopeless but I still felt like it was. I couldn't really picture it. After talking to all of them and hearing all the various degrees they're pursuing. How things are more difficult but they haven't given up. How interpreters that can hear know ASL and understand them are vital to them. I have renewed hope and so many ideas. I want to be an interpreter at a school like U of T or several, I want to help kids that go deaf or mute through illness or injury to learn sign and coach a junior sports team for deaf and mute kids.**

"Those are all wonderful ideas Owen, you can do them all and I know you'll be great at them all."

~Dinner at my house? I want to tell everyone about today and I want you there~

"Happily," she smiles and we walk back to my car. I drive us to my house and we go in.

"Well you two look happy," Mom comments when we walk in.

~Very happy~

"That's wonderful to hear," Mom smiles understanding what I said.

~When's dinner?~

"In about half an hour," Mom replies.

"Let's go do homework in your room until dinner," Clare says.

"Oh kids the lawyer called, Jerry Walls been determined to be criminally insane. He'll be held at a mental hospital for the criminally insane for 24 months and then reevaluated to determine if he can stand trial for the murder and the carjacking," Mom tells us.

"You mean I might have to come back in two years to face him in court again?" Clare asks and sounds a little afraid with fear in her voice at this thought.

"No it isn't very likely, the lawyer said he's likely to spend the rest of his life in a mental institution. He has more than one mental health issue. If they do decide to take it to court he'll probably stand trial for the murder first and then there may be no need for them hold a trial for the carjacking. I wouldn't worry about it," Mom assures us.

I put my arm around Clare and we walk back to my room. We set our stuff down and sit on my bed. I take Clare into my arms and kiss her softly.

~I won't ever let anyone hurt you~ I assure her.

"I know that," she grins and kisses me again. We make out a few minutes before getting to our schoolwork. We do homework until Mom calls us to dinner and we greet my dad who got home a little while ago.

~Can you tell them what we did today and what I want to be please~ I request of Clare.

"Of course," Clare smiles. "I took Owen to U of T today to meet the ASL teacher and some deaf students. I thought it would help him to see that his future isn't over just because he can't speak anymore, and it did. He said it really helped him to be with other people who face some of the same issues he does. And after speaking with them and learning how vital interpreters are to their lives he wants to be an ASL interpreter at U of T and other schools. Interpreting lectures and presentations things like that for deaf students. He also wants to coach a junior sports team of deaf and mute kids," Clare tells my family with a proud grin.

"Well I think that's just wonderful Owen, it sounds like a great career for you and a very fulfilling one. And that was a very clever idea Clare, you've really been wonderful in helping Owen adjust to this new way of life," Mom grins.

I smile at Clare and we share a kiss before we begin eating.

 **(CLARE)**

"I'm proud of you," I tell Owen kissing his cheek after he puts his graduation cap on.

~Thanks I'm proud of me too~ Owen grins.

We've been dating for two months now and he's graduating today. Not only have we been practicing ASL every day but Mr. Foley has let Owen sit in on a few classes. Owen has already signed up for a summer ASL class at Centennial. He can hold a decent conversation all in ASL now and he uses his phone very little when we're talking or he's talking to a deaf person. He still uses his phone to communicate with most people since they don't understand ASL. Owen has been accepted to U of T to get his Master of Arts in Language and Literacies Education which will allow him to be an ASL interpreter. He's really excited about it and his family and I are very proud of him.

"You better get to the stage and I better get to the seats with my family," I comment kissing him gently.

Owen kisses me again and I walk out to the auditorium seats sitting with my parents. I wave to Owen's parents sitting in the row across from us. Adam is sitting next to me and his parents next to him. Principal Simpson walks on stage and welcomes everyone before welcoming Caitlin Ryan who is giving the graduation speech. Then Fiona gives her valedictorian speech before Simpson starts giving everyone their diplomas. I clap for Fiona, Dallas, Bianca and even Eli. I of course clap for Jake, I clap for Katie too and then it's Owen's turn and I jump up clapping and cheering for him. He goes up to Simpson but before getting his diploma turns to the seats and looks at me.

~Clare My ASL Angel I love you~ he signs and my heart skips a beat. We've never said I love you before. I stand up with a huge smile on my face and blow him a kiss.

~I love you too Owen~

He grins blowing me a kiss and then takes his diploma. A few more people get their diplomas but I don't clap again until Drew gets his. All the graduates bow and toss up their hats then they leave the stage to see their families. I hug Jake, Drew, Bianca and even Dallas then I go over to kiss Owen.

~I really do love you~

~I know I really love you too~

Owen's parents get lots of pictures and hug him a lot and then they leave Owen and I go to the BBQ being held on the sports fields. We enjoy the BBQ with our friends and the other grads and then there's a party at Marisol's. We spend several hours at the party, dancing and hanging with our friends, Owen talks mostly in ASL and I interpret but he types on his phone a little. Adam and Bianca have watched us enough that they can get the gist of what we're saying. We don't get back to his house until after two in the morning. Mom knows I'm sleeping here, she's not happy about it but she knows we're not having sex. Anyway anytime she argues with me that I shouldn't sleep at my boyfriend's house I remind her that he saved my life and I saved his.

Everyone else is asleep so we come in quietly and go to Owen's room getting ready for bed. He turns off the lights and we sit on his bed, the only light is the moonlight and streetlights coming through the window because he left the curtains open.

~I love you~ he signs.

~I love you too~ I grin before taking his lips for a soft kiss.

 ******Epilogue******

 **(OWEN)**

"…okay we will pick this up tomorrow," Professor Andrews says dismissing his sports medicine class. I finish interpreting for the two deaf students in the class and walk over to them as everyone else is leaving. I always walk out with them in case they have questions.

~Thanks Owen if you didn't sign his lectures I'd miss so much~ Oliver signs.

~Me either Professor Andrews is constantly moving around the room I can never read his lips~ Rea agrees.

~That's why I'm here~ I grin.

~See you tomorrow Owen~ Oliver signs and they both wave.

I have no more classes today but I do have a practice to coach in an hour so I get in my car and run home to eat before leaving for practice. I graduated from U of T six years ago and now I work as interpreter, I freelance for all the U of T campuses and Ryerson, I'm kept pretty busy and sometimes I freelance for other things like plays. When teachers know they'll have at least one deaf student in their class they know they'll need my services and generally hire me for the semester. Sometimes a student's family will hire me to be their interpreter for all their non ASL classes for an entire semester or a year even.

"Daddy!" Jana yells excitedly running over to me and jumping into my arms. She throws her arms around my neck and kisses my cheek.

~Hi pretty girl~ I sign after putting her down.

"I was wondering when you'd be home," Clare smiles walking in and giving me a kiss. "I made you a sandwich," she says pulling it from the fridge.

~Great I'm starved~

"I knew you would be, I'll get Drake ready for the game," Clare says and signs.

I sit at the table and eat my sandwich, Jana tugs on my jeans so I pick her up and put her in my lap while I eat. Clare comes out with Drake dressed for peewee football.

~Hi dad~

~Hey buddy ready for practice?~

~Yes~

"Can you watch them a few minutes I need to pack Jana's diaper bag?" Clare requests.

~Yes~

Clare smiles and kisses my cheek before rushing back to the living room. Clare and I have been married for seven years. Clare is a reporter and she became a successful children's author last year. Drake is six, we adopted him when he was eighteen months old, he was born deaf. Clare and I discussed kids for a long time before deciding to adopt and we knew we wanted to adopt a deaf child. Jana turned two last month, she was our little surprise because Clare was on birth control and then we found out she was pregnant. Drake was really excited to find out he was going to be a big brother and he loves Jana. Since we've been signing to her since birth she can sign much better than she can talk.

"Okay ready to go?" Clare asks coming in with the diaper bag.

~Yep. In the car Buddy~ I tell Drake while holding Jana. It's not easy to sign and hold a child but when you have two of them you learn how.

We get in the car and I look at my family, my wonderful amazing family and think how lucky I am. The carjacker was determined to be unfit to stand trial and will probably be in the mental hospital for life and we haven't thought about him in years. I'm happy and I've been happy since Clare saved my life after I saved hers. Now we have a beautiful life with a beautiful family that I love very much and I am incredibly happy.

 **So that does it for this story I hope you all enjoyed it. Replacing this on Thursday October 8** **th** **will be Truth that Burns so Bright it can Melt Winter Snow.**


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